But while that sort of thing wouldn’t have batted an eye under Scott Coker’s droopy watch, Zuffa runs a much tighter ship, and won’t run the risk of Barnett suffering an injury in a worked puroresu match two weeks before he has to show up for a legit cage-fight. As Fighters Only reports:
But while that sort of thing wouldn’t have batted an eye under Scott Coker’s droopy watch, Zuffa runs a much tighter ship, and won’t run the risk of Barnett suffering an injury in a worked puroresu match two weeks before he has to show up for a legit cage-fight. As Fighters Only reports:
…Barnett has been prevailed upon not to take the gig which, despite being a pre-determined pro-wrestling match rather than a proper fight, could still potentially have resulted in him picking up an injury…With Alistair Overeem having already been removed from the semi-finals thanks to an injury/contract dispute, it would have been disastrous had Barnett been forced out as well.
The August 27th IGF card is still going ahead in Japan. Aside from LeBanner it also features Peter Aerts and Ray Sefo. Why anybody would want to see real fighters having pretend fights is beyond us, but pro-wrestling gigs pay well in Japan and with K-1 on hiatus, these kind of gigs are a good earner for name fighters.
So in a strange turn of fate, Josh Barnett has become the biggest star remaining in Strikeforce’s heavyweight tournament — the other semi-finalists are Kharitonov, Antonio Silva, and Daniel Cormier, for God’s sake — and Zuffa actually needs him. Funny how things work out.
The September 10th Strikeforce show will also feature Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza’s latest middleweight title defense against Luke Rockhold, Muhammad “King Mo” Lawal’s return against Roger Gracie, and a lightweight feature between Josh Thomson and former Sengoku stunner Maximo Blanco.
MMA H.E.A.T.’s Karyn Bryant went to the FOX lot for the UFC on FOX press conference, and caught up with UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, and FOX Sports Media Group President and Co-COO Eric Shanks. They are both excited about the deal to bring the UFC to FOX, FX, Fuel and FOX Deportes, and give details on how the relationship came about. They also talk about the evolution of the sport, and how FOX can continue the growth by broadening the audience.
MMA H.E.A.T.’s Karyn Bryant went to the FOX lot for the UFC on FOX press conference, and caught up with UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, and FOX Sports Media Group President and Co-COO Eric Shanks. They are both excited about the deal to bring the UFC to FOX, FX, Fuel and FOX Deportes, and give details on how the relationship came about. They also talk about the evolution of the sport, and how FOX can continue the growth by broadening the audience.
In a landmark announcement that marks the move of MMA‘s leading promotion to network television for the first time, the UFC and FOX on Thursday confirmed a deal that would put UFC programming on the FOX family of networks for the next seven years.
Under the terms of the agreement, FOX will broadcast four UFC events a year on broadcast television and six events on FX, their basic cable station that is available on 99,369,000 homes, almost the same number of homes that receive Spike.
The Ultimate Fighter will also air on FX in a revamped, live version, while other FOX-owned entities like FUEL and FOX Deportes will also carry UFC programming.
The historic deal was jointly announced at the FOX studios in Los Angeles by FOX Sports chairman and CEO David Hill, FOX Sports media group co-president and COO Eric Shanks, FX president John Landgraf, UFC president Dana White, and Zuffa chairman Lorenzo Fertitta.
“Television is about the next big thing, and that’s why we’re here this morning,” said Hill, who added that the UFC was “something we firmly believe in.”
Under terms of the deal, the first UFC event on FOX will air on November 12, while additional UFC programming on FOX networks launches on January 2012.
White lauded the deal as the highlight of his tenure leading the UFC.
“This was it for me, this is what I always wanted,” he said. “This is what I always felt was the pinnacle for us here in the United States. Not just to be on the No. 1 network in the country, but to be on a network with all the other real big sports: NFL, Major League Baseball, NASCAR, etc.”
The deal was brokered by the UFC’s agent Ari Emanuel. Though financial terms weren’t disclosed, Sports Business Daily reported on Tuesday that UFC will receive around $90 million per year in rights fees.
For a time, the UFC reportedly looked into launching its own network, a fact that was acknowledged during the press conference by Fertitta. But after considering all the available options including competing network offers, the FOX deal best fit their goals and needs.
“I think that a UFC channel would be very successful,” he said. “But we sat down, thought about it a little bit and said, ‘You know what we do best? Put on great fights.’ We’re not in the business of running a network. And as far as the life cycle of the company and where we’re at, it just made more sense for us to do this deal with FOX.”
FOX executives said they were drawn to the UFC by their ability to attract the coveted male to 18-34 year old demographic. Hill, who had in the past voiced no interest in MMA, said he had changed his tune over the past few years as he watched UFC continue to grow and market their brand and fighters.
White said that the UFC will use the deal as a “fresh start” to revamp all of their offerings, including pay-per-views. You know what we do best? Put on great fights. We’re not in the business of running a network. — Lorenzo Fertitta
The most significant changes may come to TUF, which will take place over a 12-week time frame and include live fights each week. As part of the deal, TUF will be moved to Friday nights. Each episode will feature taped footage from the four to five days prior, but the match between advancing fighters will be live. In addition to that, coaches will conduct their own training camps during the time and then fight at the end of the season.
While in the past, a network deal may have been undone by an advertisers unwillingness to sponsor mixed martial arts programming, FOX executives say that stigma is nearly gone.
“We would not have gone into the deal if we hadn’t canvassed large group of advertisers who are 100 percent behind it,” Hill said. “There might be one or two companies that have got a ‘do not buy.’ There is a hell of a lot more who have a ‘do buy’ on this sport.”
Under the terms of the deal, the UFC will continue to control production of its events, though FOX will have input. FOX will control pre- and post-fight shows.
All in all there will be 36 UFC fights a year on FOX-owned networks, which includes the 26 live TUF fights, 6 FX “Fight Night” events and 4 major events on FOX. White said that the promotion still considers itself a pay-per-view company, but there is no question that there will be many more expectations and much more scrutiny as a result of the major deal.
Landgraf said the deal makes great sense as their research showed that their is an 80 percent overlap between fans of the UFC and FX viewers.
“I can’t emphasize how thrilled I am to get this deal done,” Hill said. “If you look where Frank, Dana and Lorenzo have taken the group in last decade, imagine what’s going to happen in the next decade. I think the growth potential is explosive.”
In a landmark announcement that marks the move of MMA‘s leading promotion to network television for the first time, the UFC and FOX on Thursday confirmed a deal that would put UFC programming on the FOX family of networks for the next seven years.
Under the terms of the agreement, FOX will broadcast four UFC events a year on broadcast television and six events on FX, their basic cable station that is available on 99,369,000 homes, almost the same number of homes that receive Spike.
The Ultimate Fighter will also air on FX in a revamped, live version, while other FOX-owned entities like FUEL and FOX Deportes will also carry UFC programming.
The historic deal was jointly announced at the FOX studios in Los Angeles by FOX Sports chairman and CEO David Hill, FOX Sports media group co-president and COO Eric Shanks, FX president John Landgraf, UFC president Dana White, and Zuffa chairman Lorenzo Fertitta.
“Television is about the next big thing, and that’s why we’re here this morning,” said Hill, who added that the UFC was “something we firmly believe in.”
Under terms of the deal, the first UFC event on FOX will air on November 12, while additional UFC programming on FOX networks launches on January 2012.
White lauded the deal as the highlight of his tenure leading the UFC.
“This was it for me, this is what I always wanted,” he said. “This is what I always felt was the pinnacle for us here in the United States. Not just to be on the No. 1 network in the country, but to be on a network with all the other real big sports: NFL, Major League Baseball, NASCAR, etc.”
The deal was brokered by the UFC’s agent Ari Emanuel. Though financial terms weren’t disclosed, Sports Business Daily reported on Tuesday that UFC will receive around $90 million per year in rights fees.
For a time, the UFC reportedly looked into launching its own network, a fact that was acknowledged during the press conference by Fertitta. But after considering all the available options including competing network offers, the FOX deal best fit their goals and needs.
“I think that a UFC channel would be very successful,” he said. “But we sat down, thought about it a little bit and said, ‘You know what we do best? Put on great fights.’ We’re not in the business of running a network. And as far as the life cycle of the company and where we’re at, it just made more sense for us to do this deal with FOX.”
FOX executives said they were drawn to the UFC by their ability to attract the coveted male to 18-34 year old demographic. Hill, who had in the past voiced no interest in MMA, said he had changed his tune over the past few years as he watched UFC continue to grow and market their brand and fighters.
White said that the UFC will use the deal as a “fresh start” to revamp all of their offerings, including pay-per-views. You know what we do best? Put on great fights. We’re not in the business of running a network. — Lorenzo Fertitta
The most significant changes may come to TUF, which will take place over a 12-week time frame and include live fights each week. As part of the deal, TUF will be moved to Friday nights. Each episode will feature taped footage from the four to five days prior, but the match between advancing fighters will be live. In addition to that, coaches will conduct their own training camps during the time and then fight at the end of the season.
While in the past, a network deal may have been undone by an advertisers unwillingness to sponsor mixed martial arts programming, FOX executives say that stigma is nearly gone.
“We would not have gone into the deal if we hadn’t canvassed large group of advertisers who are 100 percent behind it,” Hill said. “There might be one or two companies that have got a ‘do not buy.’ There is a hell of a lot more who have a ‘do buy’ on this sport.”
Under the terms of the deal, the UFC will continue to control production of its events, though FOX will have input. FOX will control pre- and post-fight shows.
All in all there will be 36 UFC fights a year on FOX-owned networks, which includes the 26 live TUF fights, 6 FX “Fight Night” events and 4 major events on FOX. White said that the promotion still considers itself a pay-per-view company, but there is no question that there will be many more expectations and much more scrutiny as a result of the major deal.
Landgraf said the deal makes great sense as their research showed that their is an 80 percent overlap between fans of the UFC and FX viewers.
“I can’t emphasize how thrilled I am to get this deal done,” Hill said. “If you look where Frank, Dana and Lorenzo have taken the group in last decade, imagine what’s going to happen in the next decade. I think the growth potential is explosive.”
Marloes Coenen calls Dana White a liar: here. Mike Swick‘s comeback to the UFC on hold again: here. Cain Velasquez meets Junior dos Santos in the Octagon at UFC 139: here. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson‘s head.
James Toney will give his MMA career another go with a fight against Ken Shamrock. I’m not sure whether to laugh at or feel really really bad for both these guys: here. Shoulder injury forces.
James Toney will give his MMA career another go with a fight against Ken Shamrock. I’m not sure whether to laugh at or feel really really bad for both these guys: here.
Shoulder injury forces Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos out of fight with Paul Daley in Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson event. A replacement opponent has yet to be announced: here.
Strikeforce Challengers 16 will feature first female fight under the Zuffa banner with Julia Budd vs. Germaine de Randamie. Check out the ladies: here.
Catch live UFC on Versus 4 weigh-ins this Saturday: here.
Find out if Jon Jones or Georges St. Pierre will win an ESPN ESPY award: here.
More pictures of the busty, Jennifer Swift aka Ms. TapouT below. If you want to hear her speak…especially about some girl fights she’s been in, check out her interview: here.
A sponsorship tax is being introduced for this weekends Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum event in Dallas, Texas. The UFC has already implemented such a tax back in 2009 for those companies looking to sponsor fighters at their events.
With the purchase of Strikeforce by Zuffa, it appears that policy is now being applied to those […]
A sponsorship tax is being introduced for this weekends Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum event in Dallas, Texas. The UFC has already implemented such a tax back in 2009 for those companies looking to sponsor fighters at their events.
With the purchase of Strikeforce by Zuffa, it appears that policy is now being applied to those companies looking to promote themselves through Strikeforce fighters.
Unofficially, the tax is hitting sponsors for about $35,000 and is leaving fighters questioning whether they’ll even have sponsors for Saturday’s event.
Bloody Elbow talked to Chad Griggs about the sponsorship tax.
Q: I understand you don’t want to talk yourself into trouble, but I have to ask: Is it a distraction at all that it happened this close to a fight and all of a sudden, you have to worry about something else that isn’t the fight?
CG: I like to say it isn’t, but absolutely (it is). It’s not something I really wanted to be worrying about, but I’m here, I’m supposed to be fighting in two days and I’ve got all my gear and all my shorts and I’m wondering, ‘OK, well, am I going to be going out in a Speedo to fight? Or will I be duct taped up all over?’ I’m not even really sure what I’m going to be wearing out there, but I’ll be there to fight.
So it will be interesting to see how this effects the smaller promoters as well as the amount of tape that may be plastered over fighters shorts and banners this Saturday in Dallas.
The brush stroke that applies to “Business as usual” appears to be very wide indeed.
In a landmark announcement that marks the move of 
