XFC Press Release- XFC Signs Two New Welterweights; Deepens Division
In the wake of last Friday’s Collision Course, the XFC has deepened its roster by announcing two new signees. Xtreme Fighting Championships is excited to introduce Ian Stephens and Ladarious Jackson to the XFC Welterweight Division.
Ian Stephens – XFC Welterweight
Ian Stephens (4-0, 2-0 XFC) is no stranger to the XFC. Stephens went 2-0 with the Florida based promotion in 2010, while enrolled as a full time student athlete at Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia, Kentucky. Ian’s superb wrestling background has been well documented. The Georgia native was a 4x State Finalist and 1x State Champion at Lafayette High School. While attending Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga Tennessee, he captured a 184lb National Championship. Ian finished out his college wrestling career at Lindsey Wilson, where he was a National Runner Up and 2x All American. Now a college graduate, Stephens can focus his attention solely on mixed martial arts, and he looks to make an immediate impact in the XFC Welterweight division.
Ian had this to say about his signing: “It feels really good. I’m in a great position right now, and I couldn’t be happier. I’ve always been just a part-time fighter, never really able to commit to the sport like I wanted to because of school. It’s really going to be exciting to see how far I can take this and how good I can be, now that I can train full-time and give this the attention it needs. And then to top everything off, I now have a home with the XFC. It’s such a relief to know that I don’t have to wonder when or where my next fights are going to come from. I can truly focus on training now. I have to thank God, first and foremost, and then my coaches and mentors, Chet Blaylock and Rocky Quinn. This wouldn’t have been possible without them.”
Ladarious Jackson | XFC Welterweight
Ladarious Jackson (0-1) made his professional debut last Friday at XFC 24, on the untelevised portion of the card. Jackson may have walked away with a disqualification loss, but he impressed the XFC brass with his dominate performance prior to the foul, and secured a multi-fight deal with the company. Like Stephens, Jackson comes from a wrestling background. At Gulf High School, in New Port Richey, Florida, Ladarious was a 2x State Champion. During his Junior and Senior seasons, Jackson won National Championships at the Duels in Dallas, Texas.
When asked about his new contract, Jackson had this to say: “I feel blessed right now. It’s hard to explain how happy I was when Mr. Prisco contacted me after the show. I was really glad he was able to see past the foul and the outcome of the fight, and concentrate on how I performed during the fight. This is a huge opportunity and accomplishment, and I can’t wait to build on this and show everyone what I can do.”
XFC President John Prisco had this to add in regards to the Jackson signing: “Every once in a while, you come across a fighter that, win or lose, captures your attention. That’s what this kid did. The last time this happened was Ricky Rainey, and we all see how that turned out.”
The XFC Welterweight Division is definetly on the rise, and these two signings are key building blocks in the foundation John Prisco is constructing. To keep up with the latest news, follow us on Facebook and Twitter @OfficialXFC or visit us at www.officialxfc.com.
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