Tag: Bellator

Eddie Alvarez: Bellator Did Not Match UFC’s Offer and Is Now Suing Me

Coveted MMA free agent Eddie Alvarez said Bellator did not offer a fair match to the UFC’s contract offer and is now actually suing the lightweight fighter. Speaking Monday on The MMA Hour with host Ariel Helwani, a cautious and cagey Alvarez indicated the contract negotiations had been difficult and that formal legal action is […]

Coveted MMA free agent Eddie Alvarez said Bellator did not offer a fair match to the UFC’s contract offer and is now actually suing the lightweight fighter. Speaking Monday on The MMA Hour with host Ariel Helwani, a cautious and cagey Alvarez indicated the contract negotiations had been difficult and that formal legal action is […]

Bellator, Spike Look to Re-Engage the MMA Playbook

This coming weekend in Las Vegas is one of the UFC’s annual big events—its year-ending pay per view event from MGM Grand, featuring a 12-bout mega-card with some of its more popular fighters present and future. In addition to helping fill the gam…

This coming weekend in Las Vegas is one of the UFC’s annual big events—its year-ending pay per view event from MGM Grand, featuring a 12-bout mega-card with some of its more popular fighters present and future. In addition to helping fill the gaming tables, the weekend serves notice for the brand that Vegas is home despite the continued push to all corners of the world with merchandise, video, games, and the ever-present Octagon.

The year-end card was always preceded by a mega-promotional push on Spike TV, which for years helped the UFC build its brand through the co-creation of “The Ultimate Fighter” and all the promotional muscle Viacom could bring to the table. Both companies thrived off the other.

But all that ended when the UFC took its broadcast TV partnership to Fox in 2011, bringing MMA consistently, albeit with mixed ratings results, to broadcast TV while making FUEL and FX the new cable homes of the UFC.

The departure of the UFC left Spike with a programming hole, but with years of lessons learned on how to properly and effectively grow an MMA brand. With other promotions like WEC and Strikeforce purchased and then mothballed by the UFC, could a brand come along to fill the broadcast slot, the marketing potential and the demographic hole that Spike now had?

The answer appears to be yes.

The promotion that was growing, albeit with its own unique format, was the Bellator Fighting Championships. Developed by longtime fight sport promoter Bjorn Rebney, Bellator launched in 2008 looking to find a smart, cost-efficient way to quench the thirst of a growing audience of MMA fans who enjoyed the UFC but were looking for more engagement in other markets. Rebney, who had grown up on boxing, also saw an opportunity to give casual fans a chance to better understand the sport by creating a tournament format by weight class that rewarded the best fighters, not the matchmakers.

“It creates great transparency; there are no questions as to who is the champion.  He fought his way there,” Rebney said recently in New York. “The result is that the one guy left standing is the champion, and everyone understands how he got there.”

With casino and venue partners looking for quality programming and a large talent pool of emerging fighters to choose from who were not under contract to the UFC, Rebney built a growing and sustainable business model. Broadcasts were high quality and filled the hours of regional sports cable looking to draw viewers through MMA. The business proved itself and started to establish itself as the number two promotion, at least in the US, after the UFC.

It was similar but not “UFC-light.”

“We said from day one we had to have a clear format and great fights, and that the business would grow if we ran it right,” Rebney added. “There is no taking away of anything from the UFC, they are a strong brand and have been at it for the longest time.  We felt that we had created something distinctive, and the market and our business partners are proving that what we have built is strong.”

The biggest step for Bellator came with the departure of the UFC from Spike. Viacom officials had been watching Rebney‘s growth and saw the opportunity to avoid having to “reinvent the wheel” to get deep into the MMA Business again. In 2011 they purchased Bellator, and with Rebney still running the company, began a ramp up, first with MTV2, to re-engage the loyal MMA fans who had become accustomed to watching the sport on Spike.

The next big step in the relationship will take place starting January 17, when Bellator and its programming moves fully to Spike on a weekly basis.

“It is a true partnership, one where we can learn from everything Spike knows about engaging the male demo and promoting the sport they helped build,” Rebney added. “We can now take our great fighters with amazing stories and bring them to the consumer on a channel that they know for quality fights and production. That brings us great credibility and lets us take Bellator to a new level.”

Viacom has spent months researching and developing the right time frame, venues and promotional and marketing vehicles to work with Rebney and his Bellator team. Bellator in turn has been hard at work continuing to refine its matchups and support staff to make sure they can deliver with the best possible matchups for their business partner.

“We know it all has to fit together well, and when I say ‘we’ I mean Spike and Bellator together,” Rebney added. “If something isn’t working and the fans aren’t getting their value or the venues are unhappy or the fighters aren’t matched properly we will find a way to fix it. We are in a consumer business with fans who know what quality is, and quality is what we will deliver.”

Officials insist that the marketplace for MMA can and will support at least two high level promotions in the United States, and globally the market for television and digital content is endless. Bellator is concentrating right now on just the U.S. market but will look elsewhere as the opportunities arise.

Is the UFC in for a fight?

There have been arguments over the years about the MMA Version of the chicken or the egg—did the UFC build Spike or did Spike save the UFC?

The answer is probably somewhere in the middle, which is a good thing for Bellator. They have a full-time, engaged partner that, starting in January, will look to re-invent a very successful wheel, one that happens to also be in a cage.

Jerry Milani is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained first-hand.

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[VIDEO] Megumi Fujii Scores Unanimous Decision Victory in What May Be Her Final Fight

What a difference two years can make. Back in 2010, Megumi Fujii was basically being labeled as the Fedor Emelianenko (circa 2007) of Women’s MMA — a mysterious, unstoppable killing machine who would easily run through all American opposition whenever she decided to make the move stateside. And indeed, her first three Bellator performances cemented her status as the top dog at 115 pounds, ending in two armbar stoppages and one TKO finish. Scratch that, her first four performances lived up to the hype she had built in Japan, the only difference in her fourth performance at Bellator 34 being that she let the fight go to decision and was therefore screwed out of a title for reasons unknown. Fujii’s opponent in that fight, Zoila Gurgel, would honor this gift decision by never defending said belt again, while Fujii would fight just once more in America, losing a unanimous decision to Jessica Aguilar at Bellator 69 in May of this year.

Shame decision aside, Fujii returned to action on Christmas Eve to square off against Mei Yamaguchi at Vale Tudo Japan 2012 and walked away with a clear cut unanimous decision victory, the video of which is above. Rumors circulated before the event that this would be Fujii’s final WMMA fight, and although she has yet to officially retire, the general consensus seems to be that the rumors are true.

We will hold off on the video tribute until an official announcement is made, but join us after the jump for a wicked highlight of Fujii’s reign of terror.

What a difference two years can make. Back in 2010, Megumi Fujii was basically being labeled as the Fedor Emelianenko (circa 2007) of Women’s MMA — a mysterious, unstoppable killing machine who would easily run through all American opposition whenever she decided to make the move stateside. And indeed, her first three Bellator performances cemented her status as the top dog at 115 pounds, ending in two armbar stoppages and one TKO finish. Scratch that, her first four performances lived up to the hype she had built in Japan, the only difference in her fourth performance at Bellator 34 being that she let the fight go to decision and was therefore screwed out of a title for reasons unknown. Fujii’s opponent in that fight, Zoila Gurgel, would honor this gift decision by never defending said belt again, while Fujii would fight just once more in America, losing a unanimous decision to Jessica Aguilar at Bellator 69 in May of this year.

Shame decision aside, Fujii returned to action on Christmas Eve to square off against Mei Yamaguchi at Vale Tudo Japan 2012 and walked away with a clear cut unanimous decision victory, the video of which is above. Rumors circulated before the event that this would be Fujii’s final WMMA fight, and although she has yet to officially retire, the general consensus seems to be that the rumors are true.

We will hold off on the video tribute until an official announcement is made, but join us after the jump for a wicked highlight of Fujii’s reign of terror.

Fun Fact: In Japanese, Megumi Fujii means “Face of puppy, heart of rabid dog.” 

 

Sure, that’s a lie, but I guarantee you had to look it up first.

–J. Jones

And Now He’s Fired: Paul Daley Released From Bellator Roster Following Bar Fight Assault Charge [UPDATED]

(And to think, if only Big Dan was at Paul’s side, this whole situation might have been avoided.) 

Good morning, Potato Nation. How was your Christmas? I see that at least a few of you spent it here, arguing about racism, or incomprehensibly ranting about women’s rights, and we thank you for the repeated page views. But if you think you were the only ones whose stockings were stuffed with a bit of vitriol this holiday season, think again, because UFC castaway and all around good guy Paul “Semtex” Daley apparently spent his beating the Christmas spirit out of some local bar patrons.

Sound familiar? According to ESPN’s Josh Gross, Daley has not only been arrested on assault charges stemming from a recent bar fight in his native London, but has been barred from entering the United States until the situation is resolved. This of course means that he will not be participating in Bellator’s upcoming welterweight tournament, although his original opponent, War Machine, had already suffered a leg injury that forced him to postpone their scheduled fight 4 to 6 months. We would say that this is a rather unfortunate turn of events for Bellator, but shit happens when you stack your roster with ex-cons and guys who were thrown out of the UFC for being hotheaded sore losers.

Daley — who could face up to two years in prison if convicted — has yet to make an official statement on the issue, but simply posted the following on the UG:

Rumours. However it seems my next fight will not be for Bellator.

And indeed, Daley has already been booked in the headlining matchup of Cage Contender 16 in Dublin, Ireland on February 23rd. An opponent has yet to be named.

[UPDATE]


(And to think, if only Big Dan was at Paul’s side, this whole situation might have been avoided.) 

Good morning, Potato Nation. How was your Christmas? I see that at least a few of you spent it here, arguing about racism, or incomprehensibly ranting about women’s rights, and we thank you for the repeated page views. But if you think you were the only ones whose stockings were stuffed with a bit of vitriol this holiday season, think again, because UFC castaway and all around good guy Paul “Semtex” Daley apparently spent his beating the Christmas spirit out of some local bar patrons.

Sound familiar? According to ESPN’s Josh Gross, Daley has not only been arrested on assault charges stemming from a recent bar fight in his native London, but has been barred from entering the United States until the situation is resolved. This of course means that he will not be participating in Bellator’s upcoming welterweight tournament, although his original opponent, War Machine, had already suffered a leg injury that forced him to postpone their scheduled fight 4 to 6 months. We would say that this is a rather unfortunate turn of events for Bellator, but shit happens when you stack your roster with ex-cons and guys who were thrown out of the UFC for being hotheaded sore losers.

Daley — who could face up to two years in prison if convicted — has yet to make an official statement on the issue, but simply posted the following on the UG:

Rumours. However it seems my next fight will not be for Bellator.

And indeed, Daley has already been booked in the headlining matchup of Cage Contender 16 in Dublin, Ireland on February 23rd. An opponent has yet to be named.

[UPDATE]

From Daley’s Facebook:

It’s seems as though a mass press release has gone out to the MMA media, stating I was involved in a bar brawl, arrested, and cannot obtain a P-1 visa to compete in the USA. 

…I am currently awaiting a decision on my visa, which is not expected until late April. Which means i am unable to compete in the season 8 Bellator tournament, as it starts in January. 

I will be fighting in Europe in the coming months, so I am able to stay active while awaiting a decision on my visa status. 

I was not involved in a bar brawl. This is 100% a false statement.

While we’re not prepared (or informed) enough to call Daley a liar, something definitely smells fishy here. For starters, Daley has competed several times in the US before without Visa issues, so the fact that he’s suddenly run into said issues cannot mean anything positive. And as one person stated on Daley’s Facebook, where there’s smoke, there’s usually fire. But again, if we’re using Chad Mendes as a measuring stick, then the charges against Daley may very well have been exaggerated by the media sources who originally reported it. On the other hand, note that Daley said he was never involved in a bar brawl, NOT that he wasn’t facing assault charges.

Daley’s manager, Wad Alameddine, also stated that Paul plans on fighting for Bellator following his February fight, but we will keep you informed as details are made available.

–J. Jones

And Now He’s Fired: Bellator Cuts Ties with Former Bantamweight Champion Zach Makovsky


“Wait…a ham sandwich walked into a bar? How is that even possible?”

New years often mean new beginnings. For Bellator, this means cutting ties with former bantamweight champion Zach Makovsky.

Makovsky took to his Twitter account yesterday to confirm his release, tweeting “Honestly shocked but thank you for the opportunity @BellatorMMA @BjornRebney.”

A former D1 wrestler for Drexel University, Zach “Fun Size” Makovsky was the face of Bellator’s bantamweight division since the beginning, becoming the inaugural bantamweight champion at Bellator 32 with a unanimous decision victory over Ed West. A pair of non-title fights saw him knock out Chad Robichaux and choke out Ryan Roberts, improving his Bellator record to a flawless 6-0, and the future was wide open for Fun Size.


“Wait…a ham sandwich walked into a bar? How is that even possible?”

New years often mean new beginnings. For Bellator, this means cutting ties with former bantamweight champion Zach Makovsky.

Makovsky took to his Twitter account yesterday to confirm his release, tweeting “Honestly shocked but thank you for the opportunity @BellatorMMA @BjornRebney.”

A former D1 wrestler for Drexel University, Zach “Fun Size” Makovsky was the face of Bellator’s bantamweight division since the beginning, becoming the inaugural bantamweight champion at Bellator 32 with a unanimous decision victory over Ed West. A pair of non-title fights saw him knock out Chad Robichaux and choke out Ryan Roberts, improving his Bellator record to a flawless 6-0, and the future was wide open for Fun Size.

Unfortunately, 2012 was a rough year for Makovsky. In his first title defense, he lost his bantamweight strap to Eduardo Dantas by arm triangle choke in April. Looking to rebound from the loss, Zach took on Anthony Leone at Bellator 83. Zach dropped a close, yet ultimately forgettable split-decision to the noticeably larger Leone, finishing the year without a victory and now as a free agent.

It sucks to be released from a contract so close to the holidays, but it’s doubtful that Makovsky will remain a free agent for too long. Also, given the size advantage that Leone held over him, don’t be too surprised if he flirts with the idea of dropping to flyweight. For now though, enjoy some of his more memorable moments.


Vs. Bryan Goldsby


Vs. Ed West


Vs. Chad Robichaux

@SethFalvo

Crazy Enough to Be True: Ten Wild MMA Predictions for 2013


(You see, kids, this is why we don’t break the fourth rule of Project Mayhem. Photo via Complex)

By Jason Moles

As is customary, nay tradition, around these parts, we’re hitting the eggnog early and often this week — thus, the obligatory Top 10 list to close out another year in the world of mixed martial arts. It’s not all fluff, though: Last year we predicted a champion would test positive for a banned substance and Brock Lesnar would retire. Not bad, huh? So grab a seat while we break out the crystal ball and see what 2013 has in store for us.

1.) Showtime stays in the MMA biz, will announce deal with Invicta FC and others.

MMA is just too popular to completely wash your hands of. Showtime may finally be done with Strikeforce, but that only means they’re now free to partner up with the likes of all-female Invicta FC or the World Series of Fighting, both of which could be looking for more permanent homes after their early success in 2012. Don’t let the Invicta PPV news fool you; they can’t win that battle. No matter who inks the deal, expect Showtime to counter-program at least one UFC event.

2.) A Ronda Rousey loss brings about the swift execution of women’s MMA in the UFC.


(You see, kids, this is why we don’t break the fourth rule of Project Mayhem. Photo via Complex)

By Jason Moles

As is customary, nay tradition, around these parts, we’re hitting the eggnog early and often this week — thus, the obligatory Top 10 list to close out another year in the world of mixed martial arts. It’s not all fluff, though: Last year we predicted a champion would test positive for a banned substance and Brock Lesnar would retire. Not bad, huh? So grab a seat while we break out the crystal ball and see what 2013 has in store for us.

1.) Showtime stays in the MMA biz, will announce deal with Invicta FC and others.

MMA is just too popular to completely wash your hands of. Showtime may finally be done with Strikeforce, but that only means they’re now free to partner up with the likes of all-female Invicta FC or the World Series of Fighting, both of which could be looking for more permanent homes after their early success in 2012. Don’t let the Invicta PPV news fool you; they can’t win that battle. No matter who inks the deal, expect Showtime to counter-program at least one UFC event.

2.) A Ronda Rousey loss brings about the swift execution of women’s MMA in the UFC.

After amputating what’s her name in February, Rowdy will move on to calling out every woman possible who she knows cannot make 135 — especially Cyborg. In what comes as a major surprise to fight fans around the globe, Gina Carano accepts her open challenge (perfect timing to publicize her upcoming role in Fast 6) in late spring/early summer. “Conviction” TKO’s her way to victory then ships off to work on the chick version of The Expendables never to return to the cage. Dana White will be inconsolable but manages to release the handful of remaining women under Zuffa contract that don’t parade around in shorty shorts and a push-up bra.

3.) The Ultimate Fighter coaching curse ends in season 17. Jon Jones vs. Chael Sonnen will take place as scheduled — guaranteed.

Hear me out on this one. Just like you, the Injury Bug desperately wants to see this fight, either to see that fake-ass white boy Sonnen get savaged or to watch Jonny Bones get knocked down a peg or two.  That’s right, neither Jones nor Sonnen will become injured prior to their bout on April 27th. How can I guarantee something so outlandish? Suffice it to say we have our ways of getting things done.

4.) Dana White announces his retirement*.

A man can only go so hard for so long before his body tosses in the towel. Dana White’s battle with Meniere’s Disease combined with international travel will have finally caught up with MMA’s Moses. You’ll all kick yourself for not seeing this coming sooner. First it was a missed event, then it was two. Next thing you knew, DFW was running the broadcasts from his bunker in Vegas. During the breaking interview, Ariel Helwani will shower White with tremendous praise and wish him the best in his future endeavors while trying to keep a straight face on The MMA Hour because he was briefed on the regime change months ago. Helwani nose.

5.) An A-list celebrity tries his hand at MMA.

My sources cannot confirm, but the word on the street is that both CM Punk and Justin Bieber are looking to cash in on the MMA craze before the bubble bursts in 2014. ($%&@! I’ve said too much already.) You already know that Punk is a Gracie trained white belt, but did you know that the annoying little Bieber kid could throw down? Me either, at least not until I saw this. One guy is always one pipe bomb away from the unemployment line and the other, well… has the testosterone of Alistair Overeem at a random drug test, which means he’s constantly in a state of  “Come at me, bro!” These two savvy businessmen are too smart to leave money on the table so they nut up and get in the cage. But you can bet your last dollar “Biebs” won’t be fighting when the Octagon comes rolling into the Philippines.

*Announcement scheduled for 04/01/13.

Hit the “next page” link for even more Nostradumas-like predictions that will make us look like geniuses later…