Thursday April 26 update - Anson's last chance and MMA hits Hilton Coliseum

Hi folks,

As may of you know, senior gymnast Janet Anson competes in the final meet of her career this weekend as a part of individual all-around competition at the NCAA Championship. Here's a full preview I wrote in today's daily, including a list of her past accomplishments (it's very long). About the only title she hasn't held is that of national champion, so hopefully she can finish her career on the highest note possible. Her coaches and teammates have told me that they'd be really surprised if she didn't win at least one event.

Anson faces last chance to be champion

I'll update how Janet is doing throughout the weekend.


Now, for something completely different, Hilton Coliseum will play host to its first mixed martial arts event ever this weekend. Fight Sport Global has partnered with Extreme Contact Fighting to present "Coliseum Carnage 1" on Saturday at 8 p.m. The card includes 17 fights (4 amateur and 13 pro) and features quite a mix of UFC veterans and native Iowans. The event is headlined by fights featuring Des Moines-native Josh Neer, who's defeated Joe Stevenson and Melvin Guillard in UFC and is probably central Iowa's most successful fighter, and Justin Eilers, a former Iowa State football player who's fought a veritable "who's who" of heavyweight MMA competitors and has challenged for the UFC Heavyweight championship.

I'll have a story about the event in Friday's Daily. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Iowa State box office or purchasing from them online. The event is also available to watch on the Fight Sport Global website as a pay-per-view webcast.

For more info, visit Extreme Contact Fighting and Fight Sport Global

Thanks for reading,
Cody