Newly crowned WAMMA lightweight champion Shinya Aoki, fresh off a submission victory over Eddie Alvarez at FEG’s New Years’ Eve event, will make the jump to welterweight to compete in the Grand Prix. You may recall that Aoki made it to the finals of last year’s lightweight Grand Prix only to lose to Joachim Hansen, who was a replacement for an injured Alvarez.

Also confirmed for the grand prix is Hayato “Mach” Sakurai, who was defeated Katsuyori Shibata by first round TKO at “Dynamite!!” on New year’s Eve.

A qualifying match for entry into the Grand Prix between Hidetaka Monma and DEEP champion Seichi Ikemoto will also take place on the DEEP 40 card on February 20.

Ikuhisa Minowa will be fighting on the Dream.8 card as well, although no opponent has been named. Minowa, who is 41-29 in a career that dates back to 1996, recently defeated Errol Zimmerman on the same NYE”s card.

Minowa has fought a who’s who of mixed martial artists including Evan Tanner, Paulo Fihlo, Ricardo Almeida, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Wanderlai Silva, Kazushi Sakuraba and Mirko Cro Cop. However, Minowa went winless in all of the aforementioned matchups.

(Pictured: New USKBA and BCX North American heavyweight champion Joe “Apocalypse” Abouata)

Here are the official results from BattleCage Xtreme V: Full Throttle from this past Saturday, July 12, in Atlantic City, N.J. at the Tropicana showroom, courtesy of the New Jersey Athletic Control Board.

– Joe Abouata def. Carlton Haselrig via rear naked choke submission at 4:10 of round 2. Abouata is both the new USKBA and BCX North American heavyweight champion

– Justin Haskins def. Judah Ciervo via TKO (ref stop due to strikes) at 1:38 of round 1. This fight was for the USKBA Northeast welterweight title. Ciervo suspended 30 days and needs a neurological exam.

– Jon Jones def. Moyses Gabin via TKO (ref stop due to strikes) at 1:58 of round 2. This fight was for the USKBA East Coast light heavyweight title. Gabin suspended 30 days and needs neurological exam.

– Tim Troxell def. Lester Caslow via armbar submission at 4:47 of round 1. This fight was for the USKBA U.S. featherweight title.

– Pat Audinwood def. Andrew Montanez via majority draw. This fight was for the BCX welterweight title.

– Jose Figueroa def. Josh Key via tapout due to strikes at 0:50 of round 2. This fight was for the BCX lightweight title. Key suspended 30 days and needs orthopedic exam of right hand and wrist.

– Dwayne Shelton def. Kevin Roddy via split decision.

– Mike Medrano def. LeVon Maynard via unanimous decision.

– Jacob Kirwan def. Daniel Tavares via submission due to guillotine at 1:11 of round 3.

– Don Wagner def. Chris Volo via TKO (ref stoppage due to strikes) at 2:59 of round 1. Volo suspended 30 days and needs neurological exam.

– Shawn Foreman def. Dan Baker via TKO (ref stoppage due to strikes) at 2:02 of round 1. Baker suspended 30 days and needs neurological exam.

– Carlos Eduardo def. Ryan Contaldi via armbar submission at 1:24 of round 1.

– Joe Camacho def. Mich Goss via TKO (ref stoppage due to strikes) at 2:07 of round 1. Goss suspended 30 days and needs neurological exam.

– Hercules Benjamin def. Paul White via TKO (ref stoppage due to strikes) at 2:01 of round 1. White suspended 30 days and needs neurological exam.

– Joey Brown and Fernando Bernandino fought to a straight draw.

EliteXC announced in a press release Wednesday night that Haselrig is now set to face hard-hitting New Jersey-based heavyweight Carlos Moreno.

Moreno represents the fourth opponent change that Haselrig has seen for this bout, the second of his pro MMA career.

EliteXC officials initially wanted to capitalize on Haselrig’s background as a former member of the New York Jets and promote a Jets vs. Giants MMA matchup. Former Giants’ offensive lineman and current EliteXC heavyweight Bobby Jones was offered the fight. However, he had to decline due to a neck injury. An offer was then presented to former Giants’ fullback Jarrod Bunch, who made his MMA debut in 2005. Bunch was open to the idea of fighting Haselrig, but ultimately decided against taking the fight due to financial concerns.

After Bunch declined, the idea of doing a football-themed match was abandoned. Former IFL heavyweight Bryan Vetell was then approached and his management gave verbal consent to the fight. However, they never fully signed off on a contract with EliteXC over concerns about an option for additional fights. Then, last week, it was believed that “Cujo” Joe McCall had been secured as an opponent. However, he was unable to accept the fight due to an illness in his family.

Additionally, the names of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Marcus Jones and 3-0 amateur heavyweight Joe McGuigan were also in play at various times the last month. It should be noted though that Jones’ camp was never contacted by EliteXC formally.

The complete card for EliteXC “Primetime” on May 31 in Newark, N.J. at the Prudential Center is as follows:

Main Card:

Kimbo Slice vs. James Thompson
Robbie Lawler vs. Scott Smith for the EliteXC middleweight title
Gina Carano vs. Kaitlin Young
Joe Villasenor vs. Phil Baroni
Jon Murphy vs. Brett Rogers (swing bout)

Undercard (to be streamed on ProElite.com):

Chris Liguori vs. Jim Bova
Carlton Haselrig vs. Carlos Moreno
Nick Serra vs. Matt Makowski
Wilson Reis vs. Justin Robbins
James “Binky” Jones vs. Calvin Kattar

Preliminary Bouts (non-televised):

Andre “Gigetto” Soares vs. Zach Makovsky
Mike Groves vs. Joe Sampieri

As we reported yesterday, McCall, who is 4-0 in his fighting career, was scheduled to fight former NFL All-Pro offensive lineman and six-time NCAA wrestling champion Carlton Haselrig, who is 1-0 in his mixed martial arts career.

Former Giants fullback Jarrod Bunch and former IFL heavyweight Bryan Vetell had previously been approached as opponents for Haselrig but the camps were unable to come to an agreement with EliteXC due to financial concerns.

No replacement for McCall has yet been finalized.

The match completes the seven-bout undercard.

Former Giants fullback Jarrod Bunch and former IFL heavyweight Bryan Vetell had been approached as opponents for Haselrig, however, both camps balked at finalizing an agreement over financial concerns.

The 42-year old Haselrig recently made his MMA debut on April 19 when he defeated another former IFL heavyweight, Shane Ott. Haselrig recorded a TKO victory over Ott at 4:09 of round 1 during a Battle Cage Xtreme card in Atlantic City, N.J.

McCall, 29, is 4-0 and is based in Ohio. According to a January article in the Canton Repository, he is also a correctional officer in addition to being a fighter.

The full 12-bout card for EliteXC “Primetime,” which is scheduled to take place in Newark, N.J. at the Prudential Center, is as follows:

Main Card:

Kimbo Slice vs. James Thompson
Robbie Lawler vs. Scott Smith for the EliteXC middleweight title
Gina Carano vs. Kaitlin Young
Joe Villasenor vs. Phil Baroni
Jon Murphy vs. Brett Rogers (swing bout)

Undercard (to be streamed on ProElite.com):

Chris Liguori vs. Jim Bova
Carlton Haselrig vs. Joe McCall
Nick Serra vs. Matt Makowski
Wilson Reis vs. Justin Robbins
James “Binky” Jones vs. Calvin Kattar

Preliminary Bouts (non-televised):

Andre “Gigetto” Soares vs. Zach Makovsky
Mike Groves vs. Joe Sampieri

In college, he was such an outstanding wrestler that he went on to become a six-time NCAA champion (three Division I titles and three Division II titles). The six NCAA championship titles is a distinction that is exclusive to Haselrig and is likely to remain so since Division II champions are no longer allowed to compete in the Division I tournament. While competing for the University of Pittsburgh of Johnstown, Haselrig would go on to defeat Kurt Angle. Based on his credentials, it’s not a stretch to call Haselrig one of the greatest amateur wrestlers in the history of the NCAA.

After college, despite not having played football while in school, NFL teams were so intrigued by his athleticism and strength that they recruited him to play football. Haselrig would ultimately agree to play for his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers as a 12th round pick. The late-round flier paid major dividends after he became an All-Pro offensive tackle in only his third season.

Injuries and off-the-field issues forced Haselrig out of the league in 1995 after a brief stint with the New York Jets, however, the competitive fire never died. A fan of mixed martial arts, Haselrig began to train in the sport and made his pro debut at the age of 42 on April 19 against former IFL heavyweight Shane Ott during a Battle Cage Xtreme card in Atlantic City, N.J.

Despite giving up a lot of experience to Ott, Haselrig came out like a man possessed and scored the upset TKO at 4:09 of round 1. The win was so impressive that ProElite-owned Elite Xtreme Combat has signed him to fight on the undercard of its first-ever CBS show on May 31 in Newark, N.J.

In spite of Haselrig’s high-ranking stature within amateur wrestling and the NFL, he is still a relative unknown to many MMA fans. As such, FiveOuncesOfPain.com decided to catch up with Haselrig for an exclusive one-on-one interview.

You can now read the transcript of our conversation with Haselrig below.

Sam Caplan: How long have you’ve been training MMA?

Carlton Haslerig: I’ve been training MMA approximately — on and off — for the last couple of years. But not anything in official like jiu-jitsu, or anything, but I’ve been training, staying active by doing something in terms of boxing and wrestling for the past few years.

Sam Caplan: Are there any specific camps you work at more than others?

Carlton Haselrig: No, just my own camp. I talk with different people and learn different techniques. Basically, I’m just going back over what I already know and seeing how that works.

Sam Caplan: Why did you decide to get involved with MMA?

Carlton Haselrig: Because I was looking at it on TV and now is the time to get up and go get some; to stop talking about it and saying I can do it and to just go do it.

Sam Caplan: What’s the status of your fight on the EliteXC/CBS undercard on May 31?

Carlton Haselrig: Currently, as far as I know, my contract is signed. That’s all I can really tell you about right now. I know my part is done. I’ve signed the contract and my management team is handling the rest of it. That’s all I can tell you about that. As far as anything else, that’s it.

Sam Caplan: How many prospective opponents have they approached you for your fight?

Carlton Haselrig: Thus far I’ve seen a contract with somebody else’s name on it and this is the second contract I’ve gotten with someone else’s name on it. So this is two contracts I’ve gotten so far with someone’s name on it for this particular event.

Editor’s note: since the interview, Five Ounces Of Pain has confirmed through multiple sources that former Giants FB Jarrod Bunch’s name was on the first contract and former IFL heavyweight Bryan Vetell was on the second. Bunch turned down the fight over financial concerns. Vetell had verbally agreed to the fight, but his management balked at finalizing the contract over concerns about an option for additional fights.

Sam Caplan: Have you signed a multi-fight contract with EliteXC?

Carlton Haslerig: The contract is specifically for a one fight deal.

Sam Caplan: Do you know if your management went to EliteXC to pitch your involvement, or did they come after you following your win over Shane Ott?

Carlton Haselrig: I’m not certain how that went down. But I’m happy it went down and I’m happy I am getting the opportunity to stay active and if I can get some more length out of it, that’s what I want to do. I’m here to fight. I’m comfortable; I’m getting better. I’m growing every day in terms of the sport and developing more confidence. The idea is to keep on moving.

Sam Caplan: There were a lot of critics, and I have to be honest, I was one of them, who didn’t think you’d be able to beat Ott. Did the doubt expressed by pundits give you an edge going into the fight?

Carlton Haselrig: I don’t remember anyone doubting me because I only listen to what’s in my head. Whoever doubted me, that’s just what they do. So like I said, I don’t listen to nothing that nobody else say except for what’s in my head.

Sam Caplan: Your off-the-field problems during your football career have been well-documented. In talks with your management, they expressed they weren’t happy with how certain things were covered. I wanted to know if you feel like the coverage of those incidents was fair?

Carlton Haselrig: Well, you know, that’s all water under the bridge. I’ve moved on and I’m happy with the way things are going right now. And coverage is just coverage. I can take it or leave it. Good and bad. It really doesn’t have any outcome on the fight. Good talk and bad talk is both the same. My main concern is focusing on fighting and getting ready for my next opponent. That’s where my focus is at right now. Everything that’s in the past is in the past, even the Shane Ott fight. And I’m looking to the next fight.

Sam Caplan: A big problem with the NFL is how the league is neglecting a lot of its former athletes. There are some ex-football players right now who are really suffering. Have media stories, such as the coverage of the issue on HBO’s “Real Sports”, been accurate? Is the NFL doing enough for its former employees?

Carlton Haselrig: No, I don’t think that the NFL is doing enough for their former employees. I’m not certain what you’re talking about with the HBO special, but as far as the NFL doing enough for their former players, there could be a lot more done but it’s still in the infancy stages of getting something done. Looking down the road, I believe since it’s being brought to the attention of the mainstream networks, and even you’re talking about it, as long as it’s being talked about then there’s always the chance of something getting done. So hopefully down the road they’ll continue to make advancements and changes on doing things to help out players from the past. Hopefully it will all work itself out in the future.

Multiple sources have informed FiveOuncesOfPain.com that a proposed match between Haselrig and former IFL heavyweight Bryan Vetell to take place during the undercard of EliteXC’s first-ever CBS telecast on May 31 could be finalized by the close of business on Monday.

Verbal commitments were secured from the camps of both fighters over the weekend and barring a setback, contracts are expected to be signed off on and returned sometime today.

The 42-year old Haselrig recently made his MMA debut when he defeated another former IFL heavyweight, Shane Ott. Haselrig recorded a TKO victory over Ott at 4:09 of round 1 during a Battle Cage Xtreme card held on April 19 in Atlantic City, N.J.

Vetell, who trains out of Renzo Gracie’s Jiu Jitsu Academy, is 4-3 according to Sherdog.com’s fight finder. His most recent bout was on April 11 during YAMMA Pit Fighting’s inaugural card that took place in Atlantic City. Vetell was victorious in the bout, recording a unanimous decision over Antwain Britt in a reserve match for YAMMA’s single night, eight-man heavyweight tournament.

EliteXC officials originally had planned to match Haselrig, a former member of the NFL’s New York Jets, against former New York Giants offensive lineman and current heavyweight prospect Bobby Jones. However, the proposed Jets vs. Giants concept was thrwarted after Jones was unable to accept the fight due to a neck injury. Former Giants fullback Jarrod Bunch was approached as a possible replacement but declined the bout.

The seven-bout undercard will be televised free of charge on ProElite.com. The main portion of EliteXC’s May 31 show will be televised on CBS starting at 9 p.m. ET.

Multiple sources have revealed exclusively to FiveOuncesOfPain.com (www.FiveOuncesOfPain.com) that event organizers are currently trying to line up an opponent for a proposed match involving former Steelers and Jets All-Pro offensive tackle Carlton Haselrig.

Haselrig, whose football career was cut short due to injuries and off-the-field issues, made his professional MMA debut on April 10 during a Battle Cage Xtreme show in Atlantic City, N.J. The former college wrestling standout recorded a first round TKO over former IFL heavyweight fighter Shane Ott in what was billed as the evening’s main event.

EliteXC wanted to put together a “Jets vs. Giants” themed match involving the 42-year old Haselrig and heavyweight prospect Bobby Jones. Jones, a recent signing by EliteXC, played offensive line for one season with the Giants. Despite already being under contract to the promotion, he was unable to accept the match due to a neck injury.

Several alternatives are being considered with the most notable being former Giants fullback Jarrod Bunch. If Haselrig and Bunch are signed for the fight, it will not be the first time Bunch has squared off against another former football player, as he submitted to a rear naked choke by former Washington wide receiver Michael Westbrook during a King of the Cage card in 2005.