Des Moines, IA- April 7, 2009- Several MCC fighters have incurred injuries during preparation for the April 17 event that have required them to drop from the fight card. “Our fighters are continually pushing their training further to meet the greater challenges associated with the increasingly higher caliber match-ups in our promotions”, stated MCC partner and UFC vet John Halverson. ” Injuries are a normal dynamic of MMA, and every sport, and we’re always prepared with significant replacements. MCC 20 remains a great looking card”, Halverson concluded.

A highly anticipated fight between standout light heavy weight wrestlers, Jessee Lund and Chad Vance, has been postponed until MCC 21 in June.

Josh Atwell has been replaced in the featherweight four man tournament by Cedar Rapids Erik Koch. Fans across the Midwest have heard much about Koch based on his training with current MCC Champ and two time UFC vet Joe “The Doctor” Vedepo, as well as up and comer Steve Carl, having just returned from his win for Team North America for M1 in Bulgaria. In competition, Koch has scored wins against the likes of Pride and WEC vet Joe Pearson, as well as former MCC Champ TJ “The Spider” O’ Brien. Koch will lay his undefeated record on the line as he faces Will Shutt, another former MCC Champion, in the first round of the four man tournament. Fans from both sides of the card can expect an exciting performance deserving of a title fight.

In the rapid paced bantam weight division, Nate “Teddy Bear” Williams returns to MCC 20 following his pro debut in MCC 19, where he definitively reigned over John La Pray. Williams faces newcomer Seth Craig in his pro debut fight. Craig holds three amateur belts from his eight fight amateur career and hails from MMA centric Creston, IA. Word on this fight has spread even more quickly than the action that is certain to go down in the cage.

The card contains eleven bouts in total and features Miletich Fighting Systems standout Marshall Blevins, Jeff ” Lil’ X-Rated” Carstens, rising star Daraughn “Day Day” Canada, as well as one of Des Moines favorites, Mike “Mini Van” Van Meer, who drops to a 180 lb. catch weight class.

Tickets for the event can be purchased at the Val Air box office, by phone at (515) 223-6152, and on-line at http://www.midwestcagechampionship.com.

You can view the TV spot for the event at the following link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFlRbg1fzrQ

Tom Ahrens goes against UFC vet Ryan Roberts and Will Shutt and Josh Atwell come together in a rubber match to settle the score. The winners of those matches meet again that night in a featherweight tournament that will unquestionably determine the dominant man that night. “Tournaments like this were more prevalent earlier in the evolution of MMA, when there weren’t as many qualified competitors as there are today,” provided MCC matchmaker Ryan Hass. ” It’s great to employ an element that has contributed so much to creating incredible fighters. As conditioned as pro MMA fighters have become, it’s hard to imagine what it takes to compete twice in one night. The fans had better be prepared as well. This is going to be one wild ride,” Hass completed.

In total, fans will see ten action packed bouts including Jesse Lund vs. Chad Vance, Mike “Mini Van” Van Meer vs. Jake Pudenz, and fights featuring Miguel “El Ray” Rios, Shawn McDermott, Mike Miller, and Alivonta Turner.

MCC 20: Last Man Standing, comes fast on the heels of the highly successful MCC 19: The Return, where Joe Brammer not only returned to MCC, he took home the belt. Fans at MCC 20 can look forward to the same giant video screen that debuted at MCC 19, as well as the wealth of products and services offered at the new MCC Merchandise Mall.

Tickets for MCC 20: Last Man Standing are on sale now and can be purchased at the Val Air box office, by phone at 223-6152, and on-line at http://www.midwestcagechampionship.com

Doors open at 6:30 PM, fights start promptly at 7:30 PM. Full details on Midwest Cage Championship, including complete results from MCC 19 can be found at http://www.midwestcagechampionship.com