HDNet Fights

Ron Kruck has covered practically every major sport imaginable but currently spends most of his time reporting from the cage. In addition to his ring reporting responsibilities for HDNet Fights and the International Fight League, the multitalented broadcaster has also done MMA play by play announcing on HDNet, Fox Sports Net and MyNetwork TV.

Being involved in mixed martial arts for years, Kruck has been the ring reporter for several fight organizations and is currently the national correspondent for HDNet's weekly program Inside MMA. For three years he was the producer and host for the MMA pre-fight show Exposed on HDNet. From Randy Couture to Chuck Liddell, Ron Kruck has interviewed the sports biggest stars.

Since 2003, Kruck has worked as a host, reporter and producer for Mark Cuban's national high definition network HDNet. Covering both mixed martial arts and boxing, Kruck is an integral part of the network's HDNet Fights series. He has also been a feature reporter for Major League Soccer, studio host for NHL games and host of the Broadway Boxing Series.

In between sporting events, Kruck co-hosted HDNet's original series Across America. For two years he traveled the country covering unique events and adventures of people from all walks of life. Prior to joining HDNet, Kruck's sports broadcasting career began as a producer and reporter for Prime Sports Network, TBS Super Station and KWHD-TV in Denver. The Inside Pitch, Sports Talk Live, The John Elway Retirement Special and the International Golf Show were just a few of the programs he worked on.

Ron Kruck has reported from and conducted interviews at some of the biggest sporting events, including the Stanley Cup playoffs, Major League Baseball playoffs, NBA playoffs, NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, Olympic Trials and the Fiesta and Orange Bowls.

Kenny Rice is a versatile sportscaster who has been with NBC since 1999 covering The Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Belmont Stakes and Breeders' Cup plus Derby preps in horse racing as a reporter and host; play by play for the Professional Bull Riders tour; 2004 Olympic boxing reporter at the Athens Games; reporter for NBC's Football Night in America covering weekly NFL games; host of CNBC horse racing series from 2002-2004; host and reporter for International Equestrian competition including the U.S. Olympic trials; is a writer for nbcsports.com. He has signed to cover the 2008 Olympics in China.

Since 2003, Rice has done play by play for HDNet, calling college football and basketball including the annual Wooden Classic and Wooden Tradition, boxing, horse racing, mixed martial arts and artistic pool as well as host the National Memory Championship.

He is play by play announcer for the International Fight League on FSN and host of IFL Battleground on MyNetworkTV.

Rice has worked frequently for ESPN since 1982 beginning as a national correspondent for major league baseball, college football and basketball, the NFL, boxing and horse racing. In 1997 he began a nine year run as host of "2Day at the Races," host and reporter on the "Road to the Kentucky Derby," "The Road to the Breeders' Cup," covering major horse racing events throughout North America as well as the Irish Derby. Rice has hosted college basketball "Midnight Madness" for ESPNU and ESPN. He calls play by play of the Triple Crown of Polo. He wrote a weekly column for espn.com for several years.

His career began as a disc jockey while still in high school at age 15. He was a multi-award winning Sports Director in Lexington, KY whose honors include the Eclipse Award (the Thoroughbred Oscar) for his racing coverage. He was the youngest recipient of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Lifetime Achievement Award and was voted "Kentucky Broadcaster of the Year," by the Horsemen Association. Rice has also been play by play announcer for several University of Kentucky basketball games; the Ohio Valley Conference basketball game of the week; the Atlantic Sun basketball game of the week; the Southeastern Conference volleyball game of the week; as well as football and basketball play by play for Comcast and Fox Sports Network.

In 1984, Blatnick, a two time Olympian, won a Gold Medal in Greco Roman Wrestling. It was then the US public was introduced to a young man who faced challenges. Despite the death of his older brother in college, a plane crash, multiple car accidents and a bout of cancer where surgery and radiation were needed, Jeff never lost sight of his dream. His tearful interview touched a nation when he declared, "I'm a happy dude!"

Blatnick has been a broadcaster since 1985. ABC, CBS, NBC, ESPN, FOX and HDNet are some of the major networks Jeff has been involved with. Traveling the world, Jeff has covered 5 Olympic Games, 21 straight NCAA Wrestling Division I Nationals and over 70 MMA events. Having come from the sport of wrestling, combat sport is familiar territory for Jeff.

In 1994, Blatnick was asked to cover an emerging sport, The Ultimate Fighting Championship. From UFC 4 through UFC 33, Jeff helped break down the action for a growing fan base. The sport had it's critics. Because of this, Blatnick was tasked with creating a manual that would be acceptable to State Athletic Commissions. Included in this was the rules that would be adopted by both the New Jersey Athletic Control Board and The Nevada Athletic Commission.

Once the UFC was purchased by ZUFFA, Blatnick helped educate and train the Nevada Judges and Referees. In addition, Jeff has testified in front of the Association of Boxing Commissions to help open doors for promoters, fighters and fans. Even the name of the sport, Mixed Martial Arts was branded by Jeff.

The list of MMA events Jeff has covered include, the UFC, WEC, IFO, Diesel, AFL and the IFC. Blatnick is also a MMA Judge and looking to get his Refereeing License.

• President's Council on Physical Education, Dance and Sport
• Honorary Coach Special Olympics New York
• Olympic Alumni Association Relief Fund
• Gilda's Club (for cancer patients)

Jeff and his family live in upstate New York. In addition to broadcast, Blatnick teaches recreation in Albany, NY and coaches wrestling at Burnt Hills High School