Above is one of many new promotional videos that will be released in anticipation of UWC 5: Man O' War where the main event features Mike Easton vs. Chase Beebe. This video will appear in many places, most notably here and on Sherdog.com. We are the first to give you this video, but expect more down the pike.

One of the reasons this video is significant is that it's not only evidence of UWC's growth, but also of the growing sophistication of large-scale regional promotions. Many of us in the MMA community have already talked about this at length, but it appears the future of the MMA feeder system will be with the growth and development of regional promotions. In 2009 and beyond, the best up and coming talent will gain necessary experience and face credible challengers within these regional shows before fighting the cream of the international crop in such major organizations as the UFC.

Most regional shows neither have the capability nor resources to make a video like this, so a personal tip of the hat goes to UWC brass for pulling this off. Local promotions need ample press and media capabilities to succeed, so its encouraging to me to see UWC is working overtime to produce content other regional shows simply do not offer.

And yes, yours truly is in this video. I have made it clear I am an employee of the UWC, so take whatever I say with a grain of salt. However, I firmly believe everything I say in this video and I really hope despite this UWC event taking place the same day as UFC 95 you all get the opportunity to watch MMA history in action. It's a big fight, a big day for regional MMA and a big day for MMA in Washington, DC.

To download a copy of this video, click here.

Press release for the Easton vs. Beebe fight after the jump.

 

UWC - Ultimate Warrior Challenge

MAN "O" WAR

Mike Easton vs. Chase Beebe UWC World Championship Title Fight

 
Washington, DC - East coast regional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) powerhouse the UWC - Ultimate Warrior Challenge announced today the signing of a fight between H.I.T. Squad's Chase Beebe and Team Lloyd Irvin's Mike "The Hulk" Easton. The bantamweight bout (135lbs) will be the Co Main Event for UWC: MAN "O" WAR, which will take place February 21^st, 2009 at the George Mason University Patriot Center Arena in Fairfax, VA. The winner will be crowned the UWC Bantamweight Champion of the world. 
 
"The UWC has always been committed to delivering the highest quality fights for metro Washington, DC and east coast MMA fans," said UWC CEO S. Marcello Foran.  "That's why we are so excited to announce the signing of this bout. Chase Beebe and Mike Easton are two of the best bantamweight fighters in America – if not the world – whose styles are tailor made for each other. If there was ever a 'can't miss' fight for fans in the Washington, DC area, this is it." 
 
Chase Beebe (11 - 3) is a four-time high school state wrestling champion now training with world renowned Marc Fiore, former EliteXC Middleweight Champion Robbie Lawler, and nine-time Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight champion Matt Hughes as part of Hughes' H.I.T. Squad in Granite City, Illinois. Beebe is the former World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) bantamweight champion and holds notable victories over Eddie Wineland and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion Rani Yahya. 
 
Mike "The Hulk" Easton (6 - 1), a two-time UWC veteran, hails from Temple Hills, Maryland and trains with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion Lloyd Irvin and UFC Fighter Brandon "The Truth" Vera as part of Team Lloyd Irvin. Easton is a Jiu-Jitsu brown belt, Pan-American Jiu-Jitsu medalist, Abu Dhabi Submission Wrestling national qualifier and holds major wins over Gerald Lovato and John "The Magician" Dodson.  
 

"Booking this fight was a no-brainer. Both fighters are incredible athletes and always do a superb job of entertaining the crowd," said Foran. "We are dying to see how Beebe's in-your-face grinding style will look against Easton's first-rate athleticism and vicious knockout power.  I know whoever wins this fight will have definitively earned the title 'UWC Bantamweight Champion'." 
 
UWC: MAN "O" WAR" will be held Saturday February 21, 2009 at the George Mason University Patriot Center Arena in Fairfax, Virginia. Tickets for the event will be available via Ticketmaster and the show will be streamed live over the Internet on Sherdog.com. For more information, visit www.uwcmma.com. 
 
The Ultimate Warrior Challenge (UWC) is the greater Washington, DC area's leader in providing fans with the best, most competitive and highest quality professional mixed martial arts (MMA) events. In addition to featuring elite fighters from the top MMA teams across the country, UWC also showcases and builds the careers of the many top pro fighters from the leading Virginia, DC and Maryland teams and gyms by giving them an opportunity and platform to challenge the very best in their highly competitive hometown area. UWC's fighters and events will serve as the catalyst for turning the Washington region into a powerful and highly-regarded MMA east coast destination.