The final two fighters left on NBC’s The Contender faced off live at Caesar’s Palace, and Sergio Mora beat Peter Manfredo after a unanimous decision (69-64, 68-65, 70-63), keeping his undefeated record intact. With his million dollar prize, “The Latin Snake,” who reads Oscar Wilde, Nietzsche, Sun Tzu, pledged that his 60-year-old mother wouldn’t have… continue reading
live Contender finale airs tonight.
The final two fighters left on NBC’s The Contender are Peter “The Pride of Providence” Manfredo, Jr., ironically the first fighter to be eliminated from the competition, and Sergio “The Latin Snake” Mora. Tonight, we’ll find out live at 8 p.m. ET which one has the most heart–when they beat the fucking shit out of… continue reading
Stallone doubts Contender 2 will happen.
Stallone doubts Contender 2 will happen. One of the executive producers and hosts of The Contender has expressed doubt that the show will survive past this first season, and he blames NBC. Sylvester Stallone said, “I don’t think The Contender’s gonna be back. We had a very bizarre time slot.” This past Sunday, the show… continue reading
audience-selected Contender undercard bouts will be shown exclusively online.
audience-selected Contender undercard bouts will be shown exclusively online. Eliminated Contender boxers will have the chance to fight again, if they’re selected by audience members. According to AdAge, viewers can “vote for six boxers who did not qualify to compete for the $1 million purse on the TV show. These six will fight in three… continue reading
Contender finale tickets sell out immediately; final four tickets still available.
Contender finale tickets sell out immediately; final four tickets still available. Tickets for the final Contender boxing match went on sale yesterday, and even at $100 to $300, they apparently sold out immediately. However, $50 tickets for the two fights leading up to that match are still available via Ticketmaster. All three fights will take… continue reading
Juan quits Contender citing “tougher fights.”
Juan quits Contender citing “tougher fights.” Juan De La Rosa, who won his fight against Tarick Salmaci last week, quit The Contender shortly after his victory. The 18-year-old fighter sustained three injuries in the fight, but the doctor asked him, “do you want to continue?” He did not, saying, “The way I was looking at… continue reading
Stallone says “NBC is not giving up” on The Contender and compares it to Rocky.
Stallone says “NBC is not giving up” on The Contender and compares it to Rocky. Despite tepid ratings, Sylvester Stallone says definitively that “NBC is not giving up” on The Contender. To help spark interest, the series will air a recap episode Sunday at 7 p.m. ET that includes Stallone, Sugar Ray Leonard, and the… continue reading
Contender “ignores … that boxing’s appeal rests with its resistance to cleanliness.”
Contender “ignores … that boxing’s appeal rests with its resistance to cleanliness.” Examining NBC’s The Contender and its lack of overwhelming success so far, The New York Times’ Richard Sandomir argues that producer Mark “Burnett’s intended pasteurization of boxing … ignores the historic truth that boxing’s appeal rests with its resistance to cleanliness.” The show,… continue reading
Jeff Fraza leaves because of chicken pox; Peter Manfredo returns; Najai loses.
Jeff Fraza leaves because of chicken pox; Peter Manfredo returns; Najai loses. As reality blurred revealed last week, Peter Manfredo returned to The Contender after one of the remaining boxers left. Our source got the reason wrong, however, as Jeff “The Hell Raza” Fraza left because he contracted chicken pox. (To my ears, “broken wrist”… continue reading
spoiler: which contender will return?
spoiler: which contender will return? Previews for next week’s episode of The Contender revealed that one boxer will leave and another will return, after being voted back by the remaining contenders. So who will return, and why will one leave? Highlight the following if you want to know: Sources tell reality blurred that one boxer… continue reading
Sunday Contender lands in fourth place.
Sunday Contender lands in fourth place. The Contender‘s first outing in its regular time slot drew fewer viewers than its other airings did, leading the show to place fourth in its time slot Sunday night. It “drew 6.7 million viewers overall and a meager 2.7 rating for NBC’s target audience of adults aged 18 to… continue reading
Contender debut watched by 8.4 million, and is easily beaten by CBS comedy, CSI.
Contender debut watched by 8.4 million, and is easily beaten by CBS comedy, CSI. NBC’s The Contender got its ass kicked by both Charlie Sheen and CSI: Miami on Monday night. The debut episode of NBC’s boxing series was watched by 8.4 million, less than half of the number who watched Two and a Half… continue reading
NBC’s The Contender debuts tonight.
NBC’s The Contender debuts tonight. NBC, Mark Burnett, Sylvester Stallone, Sugar Ray Leonard, Jeffrey Katzenberg all roll the dice tonight as the network debuts The Contender, the $2 million per episode boxing-themed reality TV show. The show kicks off with a 90-minute premiere tonight at 9:30 p.m. ET, and the second episode airs Thursday at… continue reading
Contender contestant kills himself; Mark Burnett: “Nothing changes” with the show.
Contender contestant kills himself; Mark Burnett: “Nothing changes” with the show. A 23-year-old boxer who will be featured on NBC’s The Contender killed himself yesterday. With his girlfriend next to him, Najai “Nitro” Turpin “fatally shot himself in the head early yesterday while sitting in a parked car in West Philadelphia,” according to the Philadelphia… continue reading
NBC moves The Contender to Sundays; it will make Mark Burnett a rich bastard.
NBC moves The Contender to Sundays; it will make Mark Burnett a rich bastard. NBC has moved The Contender yet again: Now it will air on Sunday evenings at 8 p.m. ET starting March 13, after airing episodes on both March 7 and 10. The new time slot is opposite Extreme Makeover: Home Edition but… continue reading