By Raj Giri | May 18, 2010

-- MMAJunkie.com is reporting that Strikeforce: Heavy Artillery drew an average of 308,000 viewers on Showtime. The numbers were down from the 517,000 viewers for Strikeforce: Miami (which featured bouts involving Herschel Walker and Bobby Lashley) and the 341,000 viewers drawn by Strikeforce: Evolution.


-- Meanwhile, this past weekend's UFC's Ultimate Fights special which countered Strikeforce: Heavy Artillery drew 894,000 viewers, according to another report on MMAJunkie.com. The two-and-a-half hour special featured the UFC 111 interim heavyweight championship bout between Shane Carwin and Frank Mir, as well as the WEC 48 prelim fight between Leonard Garcia and Chan "The Korean Zombie" Sung Jung.

-- WEC lightweight fighter Anthony Pettis will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Milwaukee Brewers - Houston Astros game on Wednesday, May 26th. Pettis, a native of Milwaukee who grew up a diehard Brewers fan, said that he was honored to take the mound at Miller Park.

"This is truly an awesome experience for me," Pettis said. "I am really excited that the Brewers have decided to let me throw out the first pitch on May 26."

-- UFC officials announced that on the heels of a sold out UFC 114, a closed circuit viewing event has been added at the MGM Grand Conference Center. Tickets for the closed circuit broadcast of UFC 114: Rampage vs. Evans go on sale Monday, May 17 at 10 a.m. PT and are priced at $50.

"Rampage vs. Evans is the fight we've all been waiting to see," UFC President Dana White said. "Now fans can still be a part of the intense atmosphere at MGM Grand on May 29 and watch the fight at this closed circuit event."
Tickets will be available at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith's Food and Drug Centers and Ritmo Latino) and at any MGM Grand box office outlet. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at UFC.com, mgmgrand.com or ticketmaster.com.