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Dr. Ron Tripp, USA Judo President, has recently launched a new competitive fighting venture – C3 Fights – based out of Norman , Oklahoma . Tripp's staff at C3 Fights includes two-time Olympian Pat Burris ( Moore , Okla. ) who is serving as the corporation's Director of Athlete Development. C3 Fights will field 16 teams nationwide and will go international later this year with teams from Japan and Brazil .

The inaugural events will be headlined by UFC Hall of Famer Dan "The Beast" Severn . The only man ever to win a UFC Triple Crown, Severn was a two-time Olympic Alternate and a National Champion in Wrestling, Sombo and Ju-jitsu.

The Red River Riot, will be held Feb. 17 at the Winstar Casino on the Oklahoma-Texas Border, (Exit 1 on Interstate 35), where the Oklahoma City Storm will face the Dallas Outlaws. The following weekend the Riverwind Rumble will be held Feb. 24 at the Riverwind Casino in Norman , Oklahoma when the Storm battle the Fort Worth Generals.

The Riverwind Rumble also will feature a "Tribute to the Legend Dan Hodge" in honor of Hodge, a Perry, Okla. native who won a silver medal in wrestling at the 1956 Olympic Games. Hodge also was an undefeated three-time NCAA Champion. While reigning as the U.S. amateur wrestling champion, Hodge was also the National Amateur Boxing Champion, a feat never duplicated by any other athlete to this day. He is considered a legend in both sports and now considered the first Mixed Martial Artist some 50 years ago.

During the Red River Riot, Severn will take on Cliffard Koon ( Fort Wayne , Ind. ), a seasoned veteran looking to make his mark with a win over the UFC great. Severn will face MMA All-star Kasey Geyer, a crowd favorite in Japan ’s MMA circuit at the Riverwind Rumble on February 24.

Both events also will feature seven other division fights, including a match with C3 fighter Brandon Shelton ( El Reno , Okla. ) A former Junior U.S. Open medalist, Shelton was a five-time freestyle and Greco-Roman All-American in high school. The 20-year-old lightweight brings the advantage of an undefeated record against Red River Riot opponent Daniel Hemeterio ( Pernibuco , Brazil ) at 145lbs. In a battle of bitter rivals, Wayne Cole and Keith Richards will settle their well-known dislike for one another in the cage. The Riverwind Rumble will feature Shelton against talented Adam Johnson, and a rematch of a previous title match between Zac George of the Oklahoma Storm and Adam Arradondo of the Ft. Worth Generals.

"This is a great opportunity to provide an additional venue for athletes with backgrounds in sports such as judo and wrestling to compete in an exciting forum," said Tripp, a Sambo World Champion and former World Judo Team member. "As someone who has spent the last 14 years working as part of the Executive branch of USA Judo, and the last 6 years as President, I feel I can bring a great deal of experience to this venture and believe it will be a solid organization for athletes seeking a new fighting opportunity."

Athletes interested in joining a C3 Fight team, visit www.C3Fights.com, for more information, or contact management@C3Fights.com . Tickets for the Red River Riot can be ordered by calling 1.800.622.6317. Tickets for the Riverwind Rumble can be ordered by calling 405.322.6464.

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