New York, NY - The mixed martial arts community will reconvene this December in New York City as the 3rd annual MMA WORLD EXPO returns to the Jacob Javits Convention Center (in the North Pavilion). The Saturday through Sunday Expo will feature an exhibit hall full of leading MMA products and services, professional MMA fighters, autograph sessions, live tournaments, training sessions, business seminars and special events.

Leading the list of featured events will be the appearance of MMA Legend, Randy Couture, including the US launch of his new book, The Last Round.  Acknowledged by MMA fans around the world as the "greatest MMA champion of all-time," Randy Couture has recently carved out a Hollywood career with co-starring roles in the blockbuster film, The Expendables and other movies.  MMA fans will be given the opportunity to pre-purchase an autographed copy of Randy's book, pose for a photo and meet Randy as he promotes his new book. In addition, reservations for the official book launch party Saturday evening following the expo at a nearby NYC hot spot. Tickets for the expo, launch party and special VIP signings will go on sale Tuesday, November 1st on www.MMAWorldExpo.com. 

Couture’s wrestling career is well-documented. He was one of the nation’s top Greco-Roman wrestlers for many years, competing on four U.S. World Teams and winning medals at the World Cup and the Pan American Championships. He was also a runner-up at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Couture was a NCAA runner-up for Oklahoma State after starting his international wrestling career with the U.S. Army program.

Also within the exhibit hall will be a variety of special events will include Military hand-to-hand combat presentations, Capoeira performances and a virtual dream team of legendary fighters and trainers including: Lee Kemp (Wrestling) America’s first 3-time World Wrestling Champion, Jimmy Pedro (current USA Judo Olympic Team Coach), Renzo Gracie (World-Famous BJJ Master), Kru Phil Nurse (Muay Thai trainer to UFC Champions Frankie Edgar, Jon Jones & Georges St-Pierre and Marcelo Garcia (BJJ Legend), and will conduct training seminars within their respective disciplines. Newcomers and seasoned fighters alike will gain unprecedented access to the world's leading MMA instructors all under one roof at one time. Seminars will take place on both show days. Ticketing and schedule information is online at MMAWORLDEXPO.COM

A native of Chadron, Ohio, Kemp was a three-time NCAA champion and four-time finalist for the University of Wisconsin. He won World freestyle wrestling titles in 1978, 1979 and 1982, and was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team which was unable to compete at the Moscow Olympics due to the U.S. government boycott. He also served as coach of the men's freestyle team at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

Pedro has a strong wrestling background. A native of Methuen, Mass., Pedro was a captain of the Brown University wrestling team and won an EIWA title during his college career. Pedro became the first judo athlete from the United States to win two Olympic medals, claiming bronze medals at the 1996 Atlanta Games and the 2004 Athens Games. He was also fifth at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. He was a World Champion in judo in 1999. He has also served as Olympic Coach in judo.

General Admission tickets for the Expo are $20 in advance and $25 on-site for a day pass, $35 in advance and $45 on-site for a two-day pass and will go on sale Tuesday, November 1st on the show website, www.MMAWorldExpo.com.  In addition to the complete schedule of events, website visitors may also purchase tickets to training seminars, tournament ring-side seats and official show t-shirts and merchandise.  

Another MMA legend, Renzo Gracie, will feature his fiercely competitive BJJ tournament at this year's Expo.  As with last year's No-Gi tournament, Renzo Gracie has decided to open competition to all athletes willing to take part regardless of their school affiliation.  Scheduled for 10am - 7pm on Saturday, December 17th, an anticipated 600 grapplers will participate among 60 divisions including a black and brown belt absolute division.  Athletes interested in registering may visit www.rgaevents.com.

An exciting new tournament, STS Challenge, will be unveiled at the MMA World Expo as a first-of-its-kind fighting style in which competitors will complete individual rounds of Muay Thai (S- for Striking), Take Downs (T- for Take Downs), and No-Gi Jiu Jitsu (S- for Submissions). The experimental tournament is being billed as an alternate -style mixed martial arts event that stays within the confines of NYS law prohibiting MMA fights. 

"STS Challenge is a natural progression for the MMA World Expo where we have held all 3 disciplines separately", said Paul Paone, MMA World Expo founder and STS Challenge creator. "A true mixed martial arts athlete has mastered to some extent these 3 critical aspects of fighting and this new tournament will expose the competitors' potential strengths and weaknesses within the respective disciplines", Paone continued. The new tournament will feature 4 weight divisions and a total of 16 competitors. Prelim rounds take place on Saturday, December 17th and finals on Sunday, December 18th. Ring-side seats are available for a fee. Standing-room viewing is free with Expo admittance. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, November 1st on www.MMAWorldExpo.com.

The 2011 exhibit hall will feature the leading MMA vendors offering apparel, gear & equipment, health & nutrition, MMA instruction, publications and more. Show-only discounts will be available for the public and wholesale/volume deals are on tap for qualifying MMA business attendees. 

As in previous years, the MMA WORLD EXPO will conduct an in-depth panel discussion on the legalization issues surrounding MMA in New York State. State officials, reporters, practitioners, coaches, fans and NY MMA support groups will gather in an effort to pave a pathway to MMA legalization in New York. Panelists include: New Jersey Athletic Commission executive, Nick Lembo, Justin Klein, a partner of the law firm Satterlee Stephens Burke & Burke in New York City aka The Fight Lawyer and founder of the New York Mixed Martial Arts Initiative, Dr. Sheryl Wulkan, MMA/Muay Thai physician for the NJ State Athletic Control Board,  licensed ringside physician with the New York Athletic Commission and current Chair for the Association of Boxing Commissions Combat Sports Medical Committee, Combat Sports veteran reporter and No Holds Barred host, Eddie Goldman, and Steve Koepfer, NY Combat Sambo head coach and founder of Coalition to Legalize MMA in NY. 

In addition, free business seminars designed to teach MMA school owners new sales strategies, share best practices, and network with the leading MMA business owners in the northeast will be offered as part of the 2011 agenda.  Nutrition and training seminars will also be offered and are free to all attendees. 

About the MMA World Expo: The MMA WORLD EXPO is a 2-day conference and expo designed for the mixed martial arts community, its fans, practitioners, suppliers and stars. Launched in 2009, the event has been held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Midtown, Manhattan and features an exhibition hall displaying a wide variety of MMA vendors, service providers, gyms, educational sessions for MMA business owners, general interest MMA lectures, hands-on MMA training, live tournaments, celebrity appearances and autograph sessions and more. Past celebrities and notable guests have included professional athletes: Renzo Gracie, Wanderlei Silva, Matt Hughes, Jon Jones, Fabricio Werdum, Carlos Condit, Jim Miller, Dan Miller, Ben Saunders and trainers: Kru Phil Nurse, Marcelo Garcia, Ricardo Liborio, Vitor Shaolin Ribeiro, and NYS Athletic Commission Chairwoman, Melvina Lathan. M-1 Global's Executive Director, Evgeni Kogan. Notable past vendors have included: Everlast, Combat Sports, HDNet FIGHTS, Vitamin Shoppe, Zebra Mats, MET-Rx, 5-Hour Energy, US Army. The event founder and organizer is Paul Paone.