Titan FC debuts Feb. 28 on CBS Sports Network with Gurgel-Ricci, Riddle-Kuiper

The Midwest-based Titan FC has reached an agreement to air eight 2014 event on CBS Sports Network, and the first, Titan FC 27, is slated for Feb. 28 with some notable names.

Titan FC officials recently announced the deal, which moves the organization from AXS TV to CBS Sports Network, which launched in 2002 and underwent a few rebranding efforts over the past decade. The channel can be seen in approximately 53 million hones, with availability (often as a premium channel) in 100 million.

Titan FC 27 takes place at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. The headliner features “The Ultimate Fighter 16? runner-up Mike Ricci (8-4), whom the UFC cut following a split-decision defeat to Myles Jury in September, against Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and big-show lightweight vet Jorge Gurgel (14-9), who looks to rebound from a 2-6 skid.

In the co-headliner, UFC veteran welterweight Matthew Riddle (8-3) meets Michael Kuiper (12-3), a Dutch fighter who concluded his own UFC stint with back-to-back submission losses to Tom Lawlor and Brad Scott.

Also slated for the card are unbeaten featherweights Anthony Gutierrez (4-0) vs. Lee Sandmeier (9-0), featherweights Kurt Holobaugh (10-2) vs. Eric Marriott (22-7), and bantamweights Kevin Croom (14-4) vs. Bryan Goldsby (17-15).

“We feel that fans and fighters alike will be the true beneficiaries of the new Titan FC-CBS Sports Network deal,” Titan FC CEO Jeff Aronson stated. “Our main goal is to put out a product that will bring fans entertaining and competitive bouts and showcase our fighters.”

In addition to the televised main-card bouts, Titan FC 27 prelims will stream on cbssportsnetwork.com.

For more on Titan FC 27, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Mike Ricci)