Dominated in a lopsided first round, Warren bounced back with a vengeance in the second and knocked out the previously unbeaten Soto to capture the Bellator Fighting Championships featherweight crown at Bellator 27 on Thursday at the Majestic Theatre in San Antonio. The startling finish came 33 seconds into round two, as Warren put away Soto with a knee and follow-up punches.

For a time, it appeared as if Soto might not break a sweat. Growing in confidence with each passing minute, he battered Warren with punches throughout the first five minutes, taunting his challenger as they went. Uppercuts, combinations and lead hooks all found their marks for the champion, as Warren struggled for survival. He reached the end of round one battered but far from broken.

Read the entire story from by Brian Knapp of www.sherdog.com here…

Courtesy of Scott Casber of TDR TV

Chicago, Ill.

Big Ten Icons, presented by Discover, is the network’s most ambitious multi-platform initiative to date. The program is counting down the top 50 student-athletes in Big Ten history based solely on their collegiate playing careers. The countdown of the 50 student-athletes began with Brands, who is No. 50, and Penn State volleyball star Megan Hodge, who was No. 49. Icons 50 through 21 will be unveiled between now and Sept. 16 at www.BigTenIcons.com. The website also will feature essays, video and other key facts about each student-athletes’ career. Viewers can also participate in the “Talk of the Locker Room” contest with a chance to win the $10,000 grand prize. Weekly winners will take home a 55-inch Phillips HD television.

Brands, who wrestled for Iowa from 1989-92, was a four-time All-American and three-time NCAA champion in the 134-pound division. He was named the Outstanding Wrestler of the 1992 NCAA Championships. The native of Sheldon, Iowa, led the Hawkeyes to consecutive national titles and posted an individual career record of 158-7-2.

“It is an honor to be selected as part of such an exclusive and competitive group of athletes,” said Brands. “The Big Ten Conference has a strong tradition and that is something we are working on continuing with the Iowa wrestling program.”

A three-time Big Ten Wrestling Coach of the Year honoree, Brands is in his fifth season at the helm for the Hawkeyes. A 1996 Olympic gold medalist and member of wrestling’s Hall of Fame, Brands is only the eighth wrestling coach at the University of Iowa. He has an 82-6 overall and 29-3 Big Ten coaching record at Iowa, and a 99-26 career mark. Iowa has won the last three NCAA and Big Ten team titles, posting a 68-1 dual record. The Hawkeyes have also won the last three Big Ten dual meet regular season titles, sporting perfect 8-0 conference dual marks each year.

In an essay for www.BigTenIcons.com, former Chicago Tribune sports editor Dan McGrath writes, “Iowa wrestlers are tough, committed, disciplined people. For more than 20 years, Tom Brands has personified those traits for the Iowa Hawkeyes.” To read the entire essay and watch a video feature on Brands, visit his Big Ten Icons locker at www.BigTenIcons.com.

Hawkeye fans will have to tune in to where quarterback Chuck Long ranks in the Big Ten Icon list. The life-size bobblehead of Long, which was created as part of a promotion that kicked off the 2010 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament in March, will be on display at FRYfest Friday, and inside the Krause Family Plaza at Kinnick Stadium before Iowa kicks off the season against Eastern Illinois Saturday. Long played quarterback for the Hawkeyes from 1981-85 and still holds school records for passing attempts in a career (1,203), completions in a career (782), consecutive pass completions (22), completion percentage in a season (67.1) and career (65.0), passing yards in a career (10,461), touchdown passes in a season (27) and career (74) and total offense for a career (10,254).

The television show, hosted by legendary college sports broadcaster Keith Jackson, debuts Sept. 18 following a Big Ten Network football telecast in which Icon No. 20 will be revealed. The countdown continues at 8 p.m. (CT) every Tuesday night through the end of football season and into the spring. The No. 1 Big Ten Icon will be revealed around the 2011 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament.

Courtesy of Iowa Sports Information

“It wasn’t an easy decision,” Chris Fraley said, “but we think this is best for our son long-range. We’re trying to position him so he can succeed in life. We’re trying to get his academics in order and have him get another year of maturity.”

Chris Fraley said his son enrolled at Wyoming Seminary this week and began classes there on Tuesday. He also said Tyler will have two years of eligibility there in a school that does have post graduates. Wyoming Seminary is located about 50 miles from where Chris Fraley said he grew up in Munsey, Pa.

Fraley will be able to wrestle Wyoming Seminary’s complete schedule this year, including the prestigious season-opening Beast of the East Tournament at the University of Delaware, Chris Fraley said. He will not be able to wrestle in any Wyoming Seminary events that have public school wrestlers during the 2011-2012 season, Chris Fraley said.

Read the entire article By STEVEN FALK of www.app.com here…

Pete Rogers was the Lakeland College head coach for nine years.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue wrestling team added Pete Rogers to its coaching staff on Thursday, naming him an assistant coach with the Boilermaker grapplers. Rogers comes to Purdue from Lakeland College, where he served as the Muskies’ head coach for nine years and vaulted them into the upper echelon of NCAA Division III Wrestling.

“I’m very excited to be a part of the Boilermaker wrestling family,” said Rogers. “I’ve seen great things happening at Purdue and I can’t wait to get in there and work with the guys.”

In his time at Lakeland, located in Sheboygan, Wis., Rogers took the Muskie program from one that could barely field a roster to a pair of NCAA Division III Top-30 finishes in 2009 and 2010. In the 2007-08 season, Rogers led the squad to its first-ever national ranking in addition to a 13-5-1 dual record, a Northern Wrestling Association (NWA) title and mentored just the second NCAA Championship qualifier in school history in Paul Hartt. The Muskies also posted a 5-0 record that season against the rival and talented Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

The following season, Rogers took Lakeland to a 21th-place finish at the NCAA Championships with Hartt and heavyweight standout Adam Sutter, and in 2010 Sutter became just the third All-America honoree in school history with a third-place showing at the national tournament as the Muskies placed 26th as a team.

Rogers is no stranger to the Big Ten Conference, having wrestled collegiately for Ohio State University from 1996-to-2000. A four-time varsity letterwinner, he built an 80-63 career mark for the Buckeyes, including a 20-4 mark in his senior campaign that included a spot as a team captain and a third-place showing at the Big Ten Championships. Rogers also led the team in pins as a junior and was named the Buckeyes’ Most Dedicated Wrestler as a senior.

A native of Oostburg, Wis., Rogers was an elite high school wrestler, posting a remarkable 145-1 prep record and a trio of Wisconsin State High School Championships. Among his collegiate recruiters was current Boilermaker head coach Scott Hinkel, who is excited at his second chance to make Rogers a part of the Purdue Wrestling family.

“We’re very excited about Pete joining the team,” said Hinkel. “He brings a wealth of experience to our program, not only in wrestling, but in coaching and in managing a program. He had the passion and competitiveness to take Lakeland from the bottom to the top, and we think he can bring that to our program and help us as we push to the upper half of the Big Ten and the NCAA.”

Rogers has a master’s degree in education from Lakeland and a bachelor’s degree in sport and leisure studies from Ohio State. He and his wife, Brandi, have two children, Isabella and Gabriel. Rogers will officially join the Boilermakers on Saturday, Sept. 11.

Courtesy of Tanner D Lipsett, Asst. Sports Information Director, Purdue University

By Scott Casber of TDR TV

HEMPSTEAD, NY

The Pride, who will compete in the Cliff Keen-Las Vegas Invitational (Dec. 3-4), the Southern Scuffle in Greensboro, North Carolina (Dec, 29-30, and the New York State Collegiate Wrestling Championship in Binghamton, New York (Jan. 22-23), begin their 64th season with three-match dual meets at Edinboro University on November 6, and at the University of Missouri on November 21.

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At Edinboro, the Pride will face the host Fighting Scots, who placed 16th in the NCAA Championships, Newberry College, and Purdue University, which placed 28th in the NCAAs last March. At Missouri, Hofstra will face the Tigers, who placed 10th in the NCAA Championships, along with NAIA power Lindenwood University, which has won five national titles and finished second twice in the last 10 years, and Oregon State University.

December will see the Pride travel to the Cliff Keen-Las Vegas Invitational, which returns to the Las Vegas Convention Center after being held in Primm, Nevada last year. Hofstra will host the Terrapins of the University of Maryland, which placed 20th in the NCAAs, on December 11 in the first of five home matches this season. The Pride close December at the Southern Scuffle.

Hofstra will host the Tar Heels of North Carolina on January 8 before heading to the CAA Duals in Fairfax, Virginia the following Saturday against four conference-members to be announced. The Pride will return to the New York State Collegiate Championship for the first time since 2002 on January 22-23.

The Pride will host Army on January 26, Cornell University, which placed second in the NCAAs last March, on February 5 and CAA-foe Rider on February 16. Hofstra will also have road matches at the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University in Philadelphia (Jan. 30), Lock Haven University (Feb. 9), Harvard University and Brown University in Cambridge, Massachusetts on February 12, and at Princeton on February 19.

By Scott Casber of TDR TV

EXCEL’S JUNIOR OLYMPIC PROGRAMS

Excel Wrestling is a Christian-led 501(c)3 organization, founded and developed in 1994. EXCEL Wrestling’s USAW Junior Olympic Training sites run throughout the school year in Colorado, Wyoming and Iowa. Program Highlights from last year include 11 Excel wrestlers reaching the High School state finals in Colorado, with several returning for repeat performances. The Iowa Junior Olympic Program continues to grow with year no. 5 seeing the most returning state place finishers…A brand new Excel Program in Gillette, WY.

Several Excel wrestlers are hoping to make their mark on the college level… Tyler Graff, returning All American at the University of Wisconsin…Jake Eitzen looking to crack the lineup at the University of Wyoming…David Marone patiently awaits good things in the lineup at Virginia Tech University…Evan Knight, training for the year at the US Olympic Center, Max Wessell looking forward to wrestling for Lehigh University, Clay Roth at Western Wyoming, Iowa’s Dakota Friesth signs with the University of Wyoming and Chad Stroh signs with the University of Nebraska…

Our High School Excel wrestlers are being very highly recruited…Jared Cortez who used to train with Excel in Colorado wins Fargo for the state of Illinois…Duke Pickett, who also used to train with Excel in Colorado just knocked off highly ranked Ness of Minnesota in Fargo. Pickett who now lives in Virginia looks to go on to a top of the line Division I school…Former Fargo Champion and Colorado All American Connor Medbery also looks hard for the right fit for his college career at heavyweight…Evan Knight commits to No. 1 Ranked Cornell University…

Other up and comers who are looking for great things in college include Iowa’s Jordan Johnson and Dallas Houchins of Interstate 35 High School in Iowa (Jordan’s brother Mitch wrestles for the University of Northern Iowa, Dallas’ brother James wrestles for University of Missouri). In Colorado, 2 x Fargo All American Connor King looks for a great year, as well as Nick Stager of Niwot HS who has also put in a hard summer hoping to make it pay off for the upcoming season. State runner-up Dalton Marini also returns in Colorado trying to grab a state title, Mark Edmonds returning state champion from the Colorado Excel Program…also in Colorado, Will Casey will be hard to stop…Others in Iowa include Fargo All American Alex Meyer of Southeast Polk High School and Fargo All American and State runnerup Colby Knight, Bill Behle of Bondurant High School, State runner up Tyler Patten of Webster City…Other returning Iowa place finishers looking for state titles are Keegan Mumma of Adel, Pryce Creighton of Dallas Center Grimes, AJ McBroom of Southeast Polk High School and others…

ALL IN ALL, WE’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO A GREAT YEAR WITH EXCEL WRESTLING JUNIOR OLYMPIC PROGRAMS IN COLORADO, WYOMING AND IOWA.

On behalf of the Excel Wrestling Board of Directors, admiration and appreciation goes out to both our coaching staff and the wrestlers and families in all of our Excel Programs.

The best to all of you this coming season!

STILLWATER, Okla.

Highlights of the schedule include a trip to Minnesota on Dec. 5, the annual home-and-home with Bedlam Series rival Oklahoma on Dec. 12 in Stillwater and Feb. 20 in Norman, a return to the National Duals Jan. 8-9, a date with reigning NCAA champion Iowa on Jan. 16 and a Feb. 11 home date with a Boise State squad expected to challenge for the NCAA team title this year.

The Cowboys start the season with a pair of open tournaments, with the UCO Open slated for Nov. 7 in Oklahoma City and the Kaufman-Brand Open on Nov. 20 in Omaha.

Bucknell kicks off the dual meet portion of the schedule when it visits Gallagher-Iba Arena on Nov. 28. The Cowboys then mount up for a trip to Minneapolis for a highly-anticipated matchup with the powerful Golden Gophers on Dec. 5 before they return to Stillwater to host Oklahoma on Dec. 12. The Cowboys and Sooners figure to be the early front-runners in the Big 12 race.

After breaking for final exams, OSU is back in action when it travels to Tempe for a date with Arizona State on Jan. 2. The Cowboys compete at the National Duals Jan. 8-9. Other teams confirmed to be at the event include American, Boise State, Central Michigan, Cornell, Iowa State, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio State, Oregon State, Purdue, Northern Iowa, Virginia Tech and Wisconsin.

The two most successful programs in the sport clash on Jan. 16 when Iowa visits Gallagher-Iba Arena. The Cowboys have won nine of the last 11 meetings with the Hawkeyes. Following that matchup, OSU heads to Ames to do battle with Iowa State on Jan. 23 before coming home to host Northern Colorado on Jan. 28, North Carolina State on Jan. 30 and Missouri on Feb. 4.

A Feb. 6 date with Nebraska in Lincoln will set up a Feb. 11 clash with Boise State in Gallagher-Iba Arena. While the Cowboys and Broncos do not have any substantial history with one another to speak of, that dual should be as intense as any with both teams having NCAA title aspirations.

Former Cowboy Mark Branch brings his Wyoming squad into Stillwater on Feb. 13 before OSU rounds out the regular season in Norman on Feb. 20.

The Pokes defend their Big 12 title when they compete at the conference championships March 5 in Ames. From there, OSU looks to reclaim its status as America’s top team when the Cowboys suit up for the NCAA Championships March 17-19 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia.

2010-11 Oklahoma State Wrestling Schedule

Nov. 7 at UCO Open Oklahoma City, Okla. All Day

Nov. 20 at Kaufman-Brand Open Omaha, Neb. All Day

Nov. 28 Bucknell Stillwater, Okla. 2 p.m.

Dec. 5 at Minnesota Minneapolis, Minn. 2 p.m.

Dec. 12 Oklahoma Stillwater, Okla. 6 p.m.

Jan. 2 at Arizona State Tempe, Ariz. TBD

Jan. 8-9 at National Duals Cedar Falls, Iowa All Day

Jan. 16 Iowa Stillwater, Okla. 2 p.m.

Jan. 23 at Iowa State Ames, Iowa 2 p.m.

Jan. 28 Northern Colorado Stillwater, Okla. 7 p.m.

Jan. 30 North Carolina State Stillwater, Okla. 2 p.m.

Feb. 4 Missouri Stillwater, Okla. 7 p.m.

Feb. 6 at Nebraska Lincoln, Neb. 2 p.m.

Feb. 11 Boise State Stillwater, Okla. 7 p.m.

Feb. 13 Wyoming Stillwater, Okla. 2 p.m.

Feb. 20 at Oklahoma Norman, Okla. 2 p.m.

March 5 Big 12 Championships Ames, Iowa All Day

March 17-19 NCAA Championships Philadelphia, Pa. All Day

Courtesy of Gavin Lang, Oklahoma State Media Relations