Tag: BAMMA

(London, 24th March) Europe’s leading MMA promotion BAMMA are proud to announce current BAMMA Middleweight Champion Tom ‘Kong’ Watson has signed a new three fight deal.

Arguably the best middleweight outside ZUFFA, Watson says, ‘I am really pleased to confirm I have signed a three fight deal with BAMMA. They are a great organisation, putting on some great fights and really striving to be one of the best promotions in the world.”

Watson won the BAMMA Middleweight Title at BAMMA 3 and successfully defended it against Alex Reid at BAMMA 4 in not only the most talked about MMA event of 2010 but also the most viewed UK MMA event ever. Fighting out of the world famous Jackson’s Gym in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Watson is widely recognised as one of the most exciting Middleweights in the world.

Tom’s trainer, Greg Jackson said “I have been hearing great things about BAMMA and I can’t wait to come over to the UK in May for Kong vs Ninja. It is a great fight for the fans as Kong always brings it and puts on a show. Hopefully I will be there much more in the future, not only just for Tom but other guys from Jackson MMA.”

Watson is due to headline at BAMMA 6 in a Middleweight title clash with Murilo ‘Ninja’ Rua that has created excitement among MMA fans across the world. The bout will take place on Saturday 21st May at Wembley Arena.

Watson said: ‘My next fight against Ninja proves the type of fighters BAMMA are looking to bring over and I cant wait to fight in the UK for the amazing BAMMA fans once again. I would like to thank Ashley, David, Jude and all the guys at BAMMA for giving me the opportunity to fight the best in the world and I won’t let you down.”

Ninja Rua commented: ‘I’m very excited about fighting in the UK again. I have great memories from the past, and its one place that I feel happy to be fighting at. BAMMA has been growing a lot and I feel it’s has truly became the number 1 European promotion, with great fighters, exciting fights and great production value. I’m also very excited about challenging Tom Watson for his belt, as Tom always brings a lot of heart into his fights, and everybody knows what type of fighter I am, so this fight has all the tools to be a crowd pleaser, and I wouldn’t miss it as an MMA fan!

On Tom Watson’s fight deal, David Green, BAMMA’s CEO said: “Tom is a great fighter and we’re incredibly happy to have him on the roster. Tom has fought 3 fantastic fights for us so far and I have no doubt he will continue to raise the bar with his next 3. Kong Vs Ninja is going to be out of this world – there’s nothing more exciting and explosive as watching a fight where both guys are looking for the finish. No lay and pray, no playing for the judges, just war!”

Tickets are priced from £45 and are available via ticketmaster.co.uk

Press Release – (LONDON, March 14th) The recent takeover of STRIKEFORCE by the UFC will have repercussions across the Mixed Martial Arts world as fighters, managers and fans alike come to terms with the new playing field.

The MMA community is buzzing with talk about what the fallout from this industry shake up will be and how the role of other MMA organizations such as BAMMA will change.

Liam Fisher, Head of Business Development for BAMMA comments:

‘Whether I look at this as an MMA fan or a representative of BAMMA, it’s definitely a game changer, but a positive thing for us. There’s going to be some fighters that want to work with the UFC again and this is their way to do that but there’s also going to be some fighters that can’t or won’t work with them and this is where we come in. BAMMA is not only a breeding ground for new talent but we’re also a place for more established fighters to compete at a high level in big arenas on live globally broadcasted shows.’

‘STRIKEFORCE have contractual obligations to fulfill so until they’re done, I don’t think anything is really going to change but for the fighters that can’t or won’t work with the UFC, this does limit their career progression in the short term. I’ve seen Paul Daley’s comments on our Facebook page and whatever Paul chooses to do, he knows he always has a home at BAMMA. Paul has been incredibly supportive of BAMMA from the start and we are proud to have him on our shows.’

‘I think the implications of the UFC/STRIKEFORCE DEAL are more focused on North America than anywhere else. STRIKEFORCE recently signed in to a PPV deal in the UK but traditionally, we’re not a PPV nation. There’s too much good sport on TV for free, added to the fact that MMA is still an emerging sport in the UK. BAMMA brings in more viewers than STRIKEFORCE do in the States and we wouldn’t even dream about doing a PPV in the UK.’

‘None of this scares or worries us and I don’t think it puts an end to the MMA business. STRIKEFORCE wanted the money and they took it but that doesn’t change the sport one bit, it just means the biggest brand within the sport just got a little bit bigger, and someone got a little bit richer. Just remember, for every Microsoft there needs to be an Apple.’

About BAMMA:

BAMMA (The British Association of Mixed Martial Arts) is the UK’s premier MMA organization that launched in June 2009 with the aim of delivering Mixed Martial Arts events that fully capture the entertainment and sporting prowess on display in the world’s fastest growing sport. To achieve this aim, BAMMA brought together a team of skilled individuals with a wealth of combined experience across Television Production Event Organisation and Mixed Martial Arts and set out to push the boundaries of British MMA. BAMMA’s combination of arena sized venues, stunning fight cards and exceptional production values has led to BAMMA’s unrivalled position as the UK’s leading MMA promotion and most recognisable brand. With a highly experienced team and a presenting crew that includes OJ Borg and MMA legend Pierre Guillet, each BAMMA event always delivers a highly anticipated and unique Mixed Martial Arts experience.