MMA Universe

Las Vegas, Nevada – The Ultimate Fighting Championship® and Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp. (NASDAQ:CIDM) announced today that HDNet will be the official sponsor of four, live 3D theatrical broadcasts of UFC® Pay-Per-View events in 2012 at nearly 75 Cinedigm affiliated theatres.

Beginning with the live 3D broadcast of UFC® 143: DIAZ vs. CONDIT on Saturday, Feb. 4, HDNet will be the featured sponsor, giving the network increased exposure for its MMA programming including promotion of Inside MMA.

In addition, HDNet personalities Kenny Rice and Bas Rutten will have a noticeable presence during 30-minute countdown shows that air in those theatres prior to the live broadcast of UFC Pay-Per-View events.

This news comes on the heels of UFC and Cinedigm announcing late last year the plan to bring the fastest-growing sport in the world to Cinedigm’s affiliated 3D theatres across the country, which include such circuits as Carmike Cinemas, Rave Motion Pictures, Kirkorian Theatres, UltraStar Cinemas and Galaxy Theatres.

“We’re giving fans the chance to watch UFC like never before – live and in 3D,” UFC President Dana White said. “We’re excited that HDNet will be the official sponsor of these 3D events with Cinedigm. It’s going to be a big year for the UFC and we can’t wait to give our fans the chance to see Pay-Per-View events live in theatres in 3D.”

“HDNet has always been the go to source for MMA fans – from fights to news – and partnering with UFC and Cinedigm on 3D is a natural fit to HDNet’s ongoing commitment to MMA,” HDNet Fights CEO Andrew Simon said. “This sponsorship is just one of many new, exciting, and cutting edge additions to HDNet and Inside MMA in 2012, from a brand new studio to more live events, exclusive highlights and on-site UFC coverage.”

The first 3D theatrical presentation, UFC® 143: DIAZ vs. CONDIT, airs live on Pay-Per-View from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on Saturday, Feb. 4 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. In the night’s main event, the fiery and unpredictable Nick Diaz battles knockout artist Carlos Condit for the interim UFC welterweight title. Plus, heavyweights Roy “Big Country” Nelson and Fabricio Werdum collide, while welterweight bad boy Josh Koscheck meets powerhouse wrestler Mike Pierce.

The UFC announced that it will be showing UFC 143 in 3D in movie theaters. Tickets for the in theater PPV will go for $25 and can be purchased in advance.The main event Super Bowl Weekend has Nick Diaz battling Carlos Condit for the interim welterweight title.

Via UFC press release:

Las Vegas, Nevada – The Ultimate Fighting Championship^®, in conjunction with Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp. (NASDAQ: CIDM)  and NCM Fathom, announced that tickets for the first-ever live, 3-D broadcast of a UFC^® Pay-Per-View event on the Big Screen are on sale now. The championship fight card,UFC^® 143: DIAZ vs. CONDIT, airs live and in 3-D in more than 100 theatres nationwide on Saturday, Feb. 4 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT from Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

The night’s main event pits the fiery and unpredictable Nick Diaz against hard-hitting knockout artist Carlos Condit for the interim UFC welterweight title. An exciting co-main event features heavyweight Roy “Big Country” Nelson battling submission ace Fabricio Werdum.

Tickets for UFC^® 143: DIAZ vs. CONDIT are available for purchase now at www.ufc.com/3D, as well as at theatre box offices across the country. Fans can visit the website for information on which theatres will be carrying the event in their respective regions.

“I know the fans love 3-D, so I’m happy to give them this championship fight live and in 3-D in theaters across the country,” UFC President Dana White said. “I cannot wait for this fight between Diaz and Condit to determine the interim UFC welterweight champion!”

UPDATE: The above press release web site takes you to Fandango where you can purchase advance tickets. The cost is $25 per ticket in the Seattle, WA area although I’m not sure if this is region specific.

Payout Perspective:

This will be an interesting experiment to see if the 3D concept will catch on with MMA. Last year, the UFC and Cindegim announced this partnership. The UFC first tried 3D with UFC on Versus 3. Depending on the price of the tickets, this could be a successful experiment and another option from having to pay $50 plus to order a PPV at home. But, I don’t recall past attempts for movie theatre live events doing well.  It would have been nice to have had bigger names on top of the card as this could draw more interested fans to this event.

In a sign of growth for the company, Bellator has entered into a deal with FremantleMedia Enterprises. The company will represent Bellator in seeking international distribution rights and other business opportunities on behalf of the company.

Via joint FME-Bellator press release:

FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME), the brand extension arm of FremantleMedia, today announced a global rights deal with Bellator Fighting Championships for FME to exclusively represent the rapidly growing brand’s international TV distribution rights, as well as handle the licensing, digital and ancillary rights for the US and international markets.

Since its launch in 2009, Bellator has rapidly gained momentum in the US and abroad, and is now the No. 2 promoter and producer of mixed martial arts worldwide. Currently in its fifth season, Bellator airs in over 80 million homes on MTV2, in high-definition in 30 million homes on EPIX and can be seen weekly on Spike.com. Recognizing the growing popularity of the brand, Viacom, parent of MTV Networks, recently acquired a majority stake in the company. Additionally, Viacom has announced that Bellator will debut on Spike TV in early 2013, where it will be seen in over 100 million homes.

David Ellender, FME’s Global CEO, commented, “This deal further diversifies FME’s third party slate and builds on our reputation as experts at identifying and exploiting the potential of emerging brands. The sport of mixed martial arts is gaining momentum with fans worldwide, and we can see huge potential for the Bellator brand across all platforms, both in the US and internationally.”

“The incredible athleticism and intensity exhibited in all of our mixed martial arts tournaments translate into any language,” said Bjorn Rebney, Chairman, CEO and Founder of Bellator. “With FME as our partner, we will have the ability to showcase our high-intensity brand of fighting to millions around the globe.”

Payout Perspective:

This deal bodes well for Bellator as its a sign of the expansion of the brand and the potential of tapping unrealized economic opportunities abroad. Its likely that this deal is in place as it foreshadows Bellator’s move to Spike TV a year from now.

UFC Lightweight Joe Lauzon has signed a sponsorship deal with Gamma Labs. Coming off of winning one of the UFC’s first twitter bonuses, the supplement company is looking to capitalize on Lauzon’s rising popularity and social media saviness.

The sponsorship deal will go beyond the normal fight short placement and focus on viral videos, social media and Lauzon’s interest of video games. According to Lauzon’s manager, Oren Hodak, Gamma Labs will do some cross promotional gaming spots with Punch Drunk Gamer, another one of Lauzon’s sponsors.

Via Gamma Labs press release:

This partnership will utilize Lauzon’s rapidly growing fan-base through new media platforms and will support Gamma Labs’ new Pre-Training Formula through special appearances, making an immediate impact with new consumers.

“Working with an athlete like Joe who is very active on social media brings incredible value to a sponsor. As a top ranked fighter and video game competitor Joe is a perfect fit for Gamma Labs,” said Lauzon’s manager Oren Hodak of Knock Out Representation. Hodak continues saying, “Joe’s been using Gamma Labs’ products for several months and is benefiting from the increased focus and energy that he gets from PTF.” A number of unique viral videos, social media and online gaming contests will feature Joe in 2012.

Lauzon boasts a twitter following that just surpassed 44,000 followers.

Payout Perspective:

This is a win-win for fighter and sponsor. The deal includes Lauzon’s interest of being a gamer which helps his personal brand. It also goes beyond the normal one-off sponsorship on fight nights. We’ve seen a rise of more fighters and sponsors engaging in promotions outside of the octagon which is key for the growth of the athlete-sponsor dynamic in MMA. While it may not be the lucrative endorsement contracts of other sports such as the NFL or major league baseball, its a start. We’ll see how many more of this will happen as the UFC-Fox partnership evolves.

ProElite announced a new multi-fight, multi-year TV deal with HDNet last night during Inside MMA’s live broadcast debut on the network. The first ProElite televised event on HDNet will be “HDNet Fights: ProElite – Big Guns”, taking place at the iWireless Center in Moline, IL on November 5th.

“After watching their first event in Hawaii, I could see ProElite was a great fit for HDNet,” said Andrew Simon, CEO of HDNet Fights. “This upcoming card has the perfect mix of marquee names and an innovative Heavyweight tournament that fight fans won’t want to miss!”

Former UFC Heavyweight Champions Tim Sylvia and Andrei Arlovski will headline the event in separate bouts in addition to an 8-man Heavyweight tournament to identify the up-and-coming talent among MMA’s heavy hitters.

“Our multi-fight agreement with HDNet elevates the ProElite brand to a national MMA audience with a preeminent broadcast partner,” said Paul Feller, President and CEO of Stratus Media Group and Chairman of ProElite. “This strategic partnership offers new opportunities for corporate sponsors and advertisers looking to reach this passionate and rapidly growing audience of ProElite fans.”

ProElite will soon announce its full fight card, which will include some of Quad Cities favorite fighters and emerging MMA talent. Tickets are now on sale at the iWireless Center box office and on ticketmaster.com.

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Payout Perspective:

It had been long speculated that ProElite was in heavy talks with HDNet to televise their second event after reviving the ProElite brand earlier this year.  After all, it made complete sense considering that Head of Fight Operations T.J. Thompson has been adamant about signing a TV deal which corresponded to the current stage of the reborn MMA promotion.

If you recall, Strikeforce also signed a similar TV deal with HDNet back in 2008, just before signing their monumental TV deal with Showtime and CBS just a few months later. The deal proved to be key to Strikeforce’s growth, as it catapulted them to the #2 MMA promotion in the U.S. and maintaining that title until being purchased by UFC’s parent company – Zuffa – earlier this year.

The November 5th event will host a prospect HW GP along with Arlovski vs Fulton and Sylvia vs Kraniotakes as the main events.

Promo:

ProElite: Big Guns Card on HDNet:
Tim Sylvia (29-7) vs Andreas Kraniotakes (12-4)
Andrei Arlovski (16-9) vs Travis Fulton (247-48)

HW Grand Prix Portion:
Mark Ellis (1-0) vs Ryan Martinez (5-1)
Richard Odoms (5-0) vs Jason Bosler (3-1)
Jake Heun (1-1) vs Chris Birchler (1-0)
Walt Harris (3-1) vs Esteves Jones (7-2)

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The Strikeforce welterweight women’s champion, Miesha Tate, has signed a sponsorship deal with Toyo Tires. Tate wore the Toyo Tires logo on her fight shorts when she won the title from Marloes Coenen in July.

Via Toyo Tires press release:

Tate is a native of Tacoma, Washington, and was the 2010 WMMA (Women’s Mixed Martial Arts) Fighter of the Year.  Associated with Team Alpha Male, the 25-year old, 5-foot 6-inch Tate fights in the 135 lb. weight class and has a background in wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu.  In addition to wearing the Toyo Tires® logo on her fight shorts, Tate will also promote the Toyo Tires brand through appearances and additional marketing efforts.

Payout Perspective:

Even though many are counting down the days of Strikeforce, Tate has scored a sponsorship deal with Toyo Tires. Its a good deal since it involves her inside and outside the ring. This helps the Miesha Tate brand and forges her identity in women’s MMA. Certainly, with Gina Carano out of action, Tate is becoming the face of women’s MMA. Tate joins the Toyo Tires stable which recently signed Anthony Pettis and Mark Munoz.

Earlier today, the UFC and FOX held a press conference in Los Angeles to officially announce that UFC and FOX have agreed on a seven year deal worth as much as $100 million per year, which includes 4 events on FOX as well as shoulder programming on FX and Fuel TV.

Today, Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC), the world’s leading mixed martial arts organization and No. 1 Pay-Per-View event provider in the world, finds its perfect media match in FOX, the No. 1 television network in the country. FOX Sports Media Group, the umbrella entity representing FOX Networks Group’s wide array of sports platforms, has reached a multi-year, multi-media rights agreement with Zuffa, LLC, owner of the UFC brand.

The landmark agreement, which puts UFC on par with many of the country’s professional sports organizations, delivers four live events in prime time or late night each year to the FOX broadcast network, home to the country’s biggest sports events, including the Super Bowl, World Series and Daytona 500. The first live event airs Saturday, Nov. 12 at 9:00 PM ET/6:00 PM PT. Additional programming on multiple FOX networks launches January 2012 and includes live fights, pre and post shows, countdown shows, UFC Unleashed, UFC Primetime, the UFC Knockout series, Best of Pride, weigh-in specials, and much more original content from extensive Zuffa archives.  The agreement also provides for developing robust mobile and authenticated online offerings to exploit a vast array of digital platform rights.

In spring 2012, THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER, UFC’s signature weekly reality show moves to FX, FOX’s general entertainment cable network now in more than 99 million homes.  With the move to FX, the show will feature a newly-designed format. FX is also set to televise another four-to six-live UFC events annually, with a mixture of additional events and programs heading to FSMG cable networks including FUEL TV.

“We’re excited to be part of the FOX family,” says Dana White, UFC President.   “The UFC is finally where it belongs on the number one network in the country and aligned with the most prestigious sports properties in the world.  I’ve always said that the UFC will be the biggest sport in the world and with this relationship it will become a reality.”

“My brother Frank, Dana and I always believed that our passion for the sport of Mixed Martial Arts would help us to build the UFC into a successful global brand and ultimately make it one of the premier sports properties in the world,” said Lorenzo Fertitta, Chairman and CEO of the UFC.  “The partnership with FOX is a major step in making this a reality and also builds on the great relationship that we already have established with FOX in Latin America, Australia and Europe.”

“Mixed martial arts is not only the fastest growing sport in the world, but also the world’s most exciting form of man-to-man competition, and the UFC is the world’s premier MMA organization,” said FSMG President & Co-COO Eric Shanks.  “Since FOX Sports is America’s No. 1 sports network and FOX is America’s No. 1 network for young adults, the UFC on FOX is a perfect match.”

“UFC’s growth over the past decade is nothing short of phenomenal and it has become one of the marquee sports in this country,” said John Landgraf, President and General Manager, FX Networks.  “There is a reason for its rising popularity.  It features some of the greatest athletes in the world, and we believe it will be a terrific addition to our schedule and look forward to our relationship.”

Founded in 1993, UFC has been on a meteoric rise since 2001 when it was acquired by Zuffa, LLC, owned by Lorenzo Fertitta, Frank Fertitta III and Dana White.  UFC’S first brush with FOX Sports goes back to June 2002, when Fox Sports Net carried UFC’s first non-pay-per-view event on basic cable television, and delivered what was then its largest audience to date.  Through cooperation with state athletic commissions, consistent rules were established and refined for competition through officiating, judging, the addition of weight divisions, length of rounds and better equipment.  Combined with an unyielding devotion to fighter safety, the UFC has vaulted to mainstream status in the minds of US sports fans attracting major sponsors such as Bud Light, Dodge and Harley Davidson.

UFC has displayed tremendous growth in digital and social media consumption. Unique visitors to UFC.com tripled between 2006 and 2010 (2.1 million to 6.3 million), and UFC established local web sites in 10 countries and Latin America.  Using a unique blend of incentives, promotions and original content, including live bouts, UFC has seen its number of Facebook friends increase from 800,000 in 2009 to 6.1 million at present, outpacing the NFL, MLB and the NHL.  UFC currently ranks second to the NBA in social media followers among the major sports organizations.  Additionally, UFC President Dana White regularly interacts with over 1.5 million fans that follow him on Twitter.

Mixed martial arts skews much younger than more established US sports, which ranged from age 43 for Super Bowl XLIV to 61 for horse racing’s Triple Crown in 2010.  Thus far, the median age for UFC on Spike in 2011 is 36 and 56% of UFC fans fall into the adult 18-34 demographic. Live UFC programming performs extremely well in the advertiser attractive, hard-to-reach male 18-34 demographic, with live event programing averaging a 1.53 rating, making it a top-20 cable show this year.

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Clip of Press Conference:

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UFC on FOX Promo:

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Payout Perspective:

Here are my key notes from the press conference:

- The deal is for 7 tears and estimated to be worth around $100 million per year.

- The UFC will broadcast 32 live events a year (24 live events from TUF on FX, 4 events on FOX, 6 events on FX (2 TUF  Events will air as part of “Fight Nights”)

- The first UFC on FOX will take place on 11/12 (same day as Pacquiao vs Marquez) and will only televise 2 fights in a one hour special. Will finish fights before big boxing bout between Pacquiao vs Marquez, as the event is scheduled to start at 9PM ET.

- UFC 139: Velasquez vs Dos Santos will take place one week after first UFC on FOX. Hope is that they can advertise their upcoming show.

- Cross promotion is expected from all Fox networks and programming, including NFL, NASCAR, MLB, etc. The first few UFC on Fox commercials were already aired last night during Fox’s NFL Thursday game.

- Hill states that their sponsors are 100% behind UFC, or else they woudlnt’ have done it.

- FX’s Landgraf states that there is an 80% overlap among UFC and FX viewers.

- According to Luke Thomas from MMA Nation, the deal “does not affect online distribution deals to Roku, Yahoo!, XBOX, or – UStream. Nothing changes”

- The UFC will maintain their event production, but pre and post event shows will be handled by FOX, which will most likely utilize newly hired Gus Johnson and Fox Sports mainstay Jay Glazer.

- There will be changes to the production from this point on. The Gladiator opening will be one of the first casualties of the huge overhaul as the UFC tries to take their product to the “next level”.

- The Ultimate Fighter will be broadcasted on FX and will be live.

- Fox Sports website still has Boxing coverage under MMA tab. I assume they are still going through their transitional stages.

- Dana White: “The Wall Street Journal article about buying G4 ignited other networks to jump in and got this deal with FOX done.”

- Lorenzo Fertitta: “It could be Bellator, ProElite, multiples….Spike has made it clear that they will be competing with us.”

- Spike can air any old UFC programming through 2012, so that means Spike TV will be able to use old UFC footage to counter-program UFC or can be used as a lead-in for another MMA promotion Spike picks up.

- Adam Swift: “FX would have murderer’s row with NFL on TH, UFC on Fri, and College FB on Sat. Own 18-34M. Great for advertising packages.”

- Shanks mentions that early on, there were some discussions of re-branding Fuel TV.

- Michelle Steele of Bloomberg told MMAPayout: “Having live events on a real deal *broadcast* network will definitely be a gamechanger for UFC”.

- Dave Meltzer from Yahoo: “The move to Friday puts the UFC in direct competition with its rival entertainment product, World Wrestling Entertainment, which airs “SmackDown” on the Syfy channel the same night.”… “While both brands publicly note the difference between sport and entertainment, WWE’s pay-per-view numbers have declined at the same time the UFC’s have increased, and even WWE President Vince McMahon has acknowledged that its pay-per-views take a hit when on the same weekend as a UFC event, something they now do their best to avoid.”

- Spike TV’s Press Release Regarding UFC/FOX TV Deal: “The Ultimate Fighter” season 14 in September will be our last. We are increasing our commitment to distinctive, original series that we own such as “Auction Hunters” and “Bar Rescue” which are delivering on our goal to reach a broader audience. Our 6-year partnership with the UFC has been incredibly beneficial in building both our brands, and we wish them all the best in the future. ”

- According to @FOXSportsLouD: Almost 45K watched #UFC on FOX press conference today on www.FOXSports.com & www.facebook.com/foxsports

- FOX’s stance on MMA has drastically changed in the past 3 years. In 2008, Fox’s Hill stated that “What’s totally abhorrent about it — I’ve said this to people running it — is that one guy will be down and the other one can keep hitting him.” Fox Sports President Ed Goren said this about broadcasting MMA back in 2008, “We don’t need money that badly.” Pretty drastic change in 3 years.

- MMA’s and UFC’s first live fights on TV was UFC 37.5, about nine years ago in 2002. The event was televised as part of Fox Sports Net “Best Damn Sports Show Period”.

San Francisco (Aug. 15, 2011) — The world of mixed martial arts suffered a devastating loss with the news of legendary mixed martial arts (MMA) coach Shawn Tompkins death. Mr. Tompkins, 37, was a beloved husband and son, a successful entrepreneur and a devoted mixed martial artist whose passion for MMA inspired countless athletes and fans.

The Canadian native who made his home in Las Vegas was affectionately known as “The Coach” to his friends and fans around the globe. Mr. Tompkins passed in his sleep.

During his career that spanned more than two decades, Mr. Tompkins coached 15 champions in six different weight classes, including icons such as Vitor Belfort, Randy Couture and Wanderlei Silva. He took particular interest in cultivating the sport’s future champions, including MMA’s rising stars Sam Stout, Mark Hominick and Chris Horodecki.

The Tompkins family extends their deepest gratitude to friends and fans for their support, and asks that their privacy be respected during this very difficult time. Those wishing to express their sympathies to the Tompkins family may do so at special guestbook, http://www.ultraguest.com/sign/1313430810.

The Shawn Tompkins Memorial Fund has been established and those wishing to contribute may contact TeamTompkins@ShogunMMA.com. A memorial service will be held in Las Vegas in the coming weeks; details will be announced at www.amrgroup.tv.

“Shawn was more than a client, he was personal friend whose love of MMA had enormous influence on our agency and the entire sport,” says Gary Ibarra, AMR Group’s founder and president. “His passion and vision for MMA was infectious, evident by how he could motivate his fighters to become better athletes and people. On behalf of AMR Group’s athletes and staff, we extend our deepest sympathies to Emilie, Sam and Shawn’s entire family. His spirit will live on in our hearts.”

Mr. Tompkins was in Canada to help prepare Horodecki for his next bout on Sept. 10 at the time of his passing.

Shawn Tompkins: March 16, 1974 – Aug. 14, 2011

About Shawn Tompkins
Shawn Tompkins was born and raised in Tilsonburg, Ontario, Canada. At age six, he began studying Shotokan Karate and a decade later, he was a two-time Canadian National Karate Champion. He went on to become a third-degree black belt and had the rare honor of having his black belt certificate signed by the Prince of Japan.

Fascinated by the art of business, Mr. Tompkins opened his first training facility in Ontario, Canada, when he was only 18 years old. He went on to become the assistant coach to his trainer and mentor Bas Rutten for the International Fight League’s Los Angeles Anacondas. He later replaced Rutten as head coach and led the team to an undefeated season in 2007.

Mr. Tompkins was considered by many as one of the top MMA trainers available and is known in MMA circles as the architect of the first MMA Specific Striking Program. His countless accomplishments made him one of the most sought-after MMA striking coaches in the world.

He was inducted into the 2009 Masters Hall of Fame with the Pioneer Award, the same year he was selected as one of Las Vegas’ Most Successful Men by Esquire Magazine.

After relocating to Las Vegas, Mr. Tompkins was the head instructor and trainer at Xtreme Couture, where his most notable client was UFC legend Randy Couture. He went on to become head coach at the TapouT Research and Development Training Center in 2009. Over the years, Mr. Tompkins trained the likes of Ray Sefo, Vitor Belfort, Kimbo Slice, Wanderlei Silva, Jay Hieron, Dan Henderson, Mark Coleman, Sam Stout, Chris Horodecki, Mark Hominick, Rob McCullough, Johny Hendricks, Krzysztof Soszynski, Jeff Curran, Phil Baroni, Jason “Mayhem” Miller, Gray Maynard, Forrest Griffin, Goran Reljic, Martin Kampmann, Alex Schoenauer, Bas Rutten, Karo Parisyan, Evan Dunham, Benji Radach, Tyson Griffin, Ryo Chonan, Junie Browning, John Alessio, Mike Pyle, Mac Danzig, Erin Toughill, Jan Nortje, Ferrid Kheder and Germaine de Randamie.

The AMR Group
The AMR Group is an athlete and talent management agency headquartered in the San Francisco Bay area that specializes in mixed martial arts (MMA) and lifestyle sports. The agency’s expertise in the market enables corporate brands and athletes to develop successful strategic marketing relationships. The AMR Group represents some of MMA’s most celebrated professional athletes and trainers, including Cesar Gracie, Ramsey Nijem, Court McGee, Nate Quarry and Shawn Tompkins. The AMR Group is also proud to be shaping the careers of tomorrow’s champions by cultivating relationships that support the rising stars of the sport. For more information about the agency or to learn more about a particular AMR athlete, please contact The AMR Group at 510-329-9000 or visit www.amrgroup.tv.

DALLAS (July 29, 2011) –  HDNet’s “Inside MMA” breaks some shocking news concerning StrikeForce™  Heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem who “Inside MMA” has learned has received a cut letter and has been released from the promotion.

Sources close to the situation have told “Inside MMA’s” Ron Kruck that Strikeforce™ has exercised its right to eliminate the one remaining fight on Overeem’s contract effective July 22nd.

Also according to the source, Overeem has been dealing with more serious injuries than originally reported, including a broken toe and rib. He also has problems with an elbow.

Overeem has fought through nagging injuries, and even though he was set to fight in the StrikeForce™ semi-finals (scheduled for September 10th in Cincinnati), Overeem has stated he still needed more time to recover.

Another issue that StrikeForce™ officials had regarding Overeem’s participation in the tournament is he had only one fight left on his current contract and he would have had to fight twice to win the Grand Prix.

Overeem will fight in Russia in October for the promotion United Glory – no word yet on who his opponent will be.

To check out a clip of the coverage, click here:

http://www.hd.net/blogs/breaking-news-alistair-overeem-cut-by-strikeforce-inside-mma/

For more on this breaking story follow “Inside MMA” on Twitter (twitter.com/hdnet) and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/HDNetInsideMMA).

Stratus Media Group, which is a live entertainment company, announced today that it has finalized its acquisition of ProElite, assuming a ninety-five percent stake in the MMA promotion.

“This acquisition provides the resources and abilities ProElite needs in order to focus on strengthening and repositioning its world class MMA fighting platform in addition to the brand itself”

“This acquisition provides the resources and abilities ProElite needs in order to focus on strengthening and repositioning its world class MMA fighting platform in addition to the brand itself,” stated Paul Feller, President and CEO of Stratus. “Under the new SMDI Action Sports Vertical, ProElite is launching a series of MMA events that will bring a new vitality to the business of MMA and reestablish ProElite as a leading international MMA organization.”

Founded in 2006, and running its first show in February 2007, ProElite quickly became one of the most visible brands in mixed martial arts globally. ProElite holds the record for highest ratings of an MMA event on a network telecast. The company maintains its ownership stakes in South Korean-based Spirit MC and British based Cage Rage. ProElite’s event strategy will continue its focus in both domestic and international markets, welcoming fighters across all weight classes to prove themselves in the cage. Details of ProElite’s upcoming events schedule, fight card, and management team will soon be announced.

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Payout Perspective:

Last we heard of ProElite, they were brought up as a potential (though not serious) bidder in acquiring Strikeforce.  They also benefited from the Zuffa/Strikeforce purchase by being basically the only group left with relevant MMA footage that Zuffa does not yet own, for example some of Anderson Silva’s Cage Rage fights. They have had plans to start running MMA events again for about a year now, but nothing has materialized up to now.

It seems that ProElite could become another beneficiary after the Strikeforce/Zuffa purchase (see Bellator), as was predicted since the market is now luring investors to create viable options for MMA fans. In the latest rumor, MiddleEasy.com states that ProElite is preparing to jump back into the MMA market fairly soon, and possibly with a familiar MMA investor:

We will be talking to the new CEO of ProElite tomorrow, however it’s rumored that the primary investor of the now-defunct ‘Impact FC’ will financially team-up with ProElite and they have every intention to compete with the UFC once again.

Fuel TV and Shark Fights announced today an expanded television agreement that adds six more events in 2011, starting with the Shark Fights 15 next month.

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FUEL TV (www.fuel.tv), Fox Sports Media Group’s dynamic entertainment and sports network for young males, and Texas-based mixed martial arts promotion company Shark Fights announces an expanded television agreement that adds six upcoming Shark Fights events in 2011, starting with Shark Fights 15 next month. Each fight event airs as a two-part series, creating a total of 12 hours of original Shark Fights mixed martial arts programming for FUEL TV’s Friday Fight Night programming block.

Shark Fights 15 features marquee fighters including UFC veteran Chris Camozzi, Strikeforce veteran Joey Villasenor, and many more. FUEL TV airs the event in prime time on June 17 and June 24 at 10:00PM ET/PT. The remaining events and air dates are to be announced. As part of its original agreement with the promoter, FUEL TV aired Shark Fights 13 on consecutive Fridays in April.

“We’re excited to have Shark Fights as part of our regular line up of fight programming on FUEL TV’s Friday Fight Nights,” says George Greenberg, FUEL TV GM. “These are great matches with exciting fighters who are putting it all on the line every time they enter the ring.”

“Everyone at Shark Fights is thrilled that our FUEL TV network debut was so well received,” says Shark Fight Promotions Executive Wes Nolen. “Now, with the launch of FUEL TV’s Friday Fight Night, Shark Fights fans have a destination for our programming. We’re all thrilled to be part of the growth of MMA on FUEL TV, and it’s truly an honor to be aligned with the FOX Sports Media Group family.”

Shark Fights is produced for FUEL TV by Bud Brutsman and his team at BCII. Brutsman and BCII are responsible for producing all the early King of the Cage pay-per-view programs, as well as bringing the first Pride Fighting Championships programming to the U.S. on DVD.

“By combining the production quality that BCII will provide with the effort and focus that FUEL TV is putting into Friday Fight Night, we have no doubt that FUEL TV and the Fox Sports family will take Shark Fights to the next level and put it on par with the best MMA promotions in the country,” says Nolen.

FUEL TV’s Friday Fight Night features epic “must see” fights every Friday night at 10:00PM ET/PT. For more information on Shark Fight Promotions, please log on to www.sharkfights.com. For more information on FUEL TV, please visit www.fuel.tv.

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Payout Perspective:

Back on April 1st, Shark Fights and Fuel TV announced a TV deal that landed the Texas based promotion on Fuel TV’s newly created programming block “Friday Fight Night” series.  Today, they announced an expanded deal that airs future Shark Fights events as a two-part series, starting with Shark Fights 15. If you recall, there have been some recent shake-ups with Shark Fights, as previous president and matchmaker, Brent Medley, stepped down nearly one month after signing the TV deal with Fuel TV.

According to MMAPayout sources, Strikeforce MMA veteran and BMX rider Erik Apple will be hosting the events on Fuel TV, who is a great choice for the network and the audience it targets.

Shark Fights and Fuel TV appear to be building on their relationship, and it will be interesting to see if Shark Fights can grow the coveted MMA demographic on the network and be able to build their fanbase on the network, a similar scenario Bellator went through this year with MTV 2.

The lineup for Shark Fights 15 televised event is as follows:

Main Event:
Chris Camozzi (14-4) vs. Joey Villasenor (27-8)

Co-Main Event:
Jeremy May (9-7) vs. Dave Branch (8-2)

Undercard:
Fredrico Lopez (4-3) vs. Bobby Huron (4-1)
Kyle Bracey (8-1) vs. Artenas Young (4-2)
Timothy Snyder (12-7) vs. Frank Gomez (9-3)
Eric McElroy (3-6) vs. Lionel Lanham (2-0)

NEW YORK, May 18th, 2011 – New York based intellectual property company Authentic Brands Group has named Mike Straka senior vice president of media and entertainment to head up strategic content initiatives for brands including TapouT, TapouT MPS, Silver Star, Iron Star, Sinister, Hitman Fight Gear and Marilyn Monroe.

“Straka’s expertise in multimedia will help grow our content offerings and distribution across all of our brands on multiple platforms,” said Jamie Salter, chairman and CEO, ABG. “His demonstrated body of work in MMA has made him one of the most respected broadcast journalists in mixed martial arts today. We are looking forward to having Mike Straka represent our brands in all forms of media and entertainment.”

“Mike has been a huge supporter of MMA and TapouT throughout the years,” said Dan “Punkass” Caldwell, president and co-founder of TapouT. “We are excited to have him on our team and look forward to collaborating with him as we continue to be the leading MMA apparel and lifestyle brand.”

A former vice president and executive producer at FOX News Digital, Straka brings nearly twenty years of major media experience to ABG and will be responsible for building strategic media partner- ships for ABG brands, and head up content channels that will serve to make Tapout.com, TapouT Radio and ABG’s partners the premier destinations for mixed martial arts news and entertainment coverage.

“This is a dream job for me,” said Straka. “MMA is my passion and TapouT is the leading brand in MMA lifestyle and entertainment. To be a part of the vision set upon by the late Mask and his partners Punkass and Skyskrape more than ten years ago is an honor. Authentic Brands Group is a company that cultivates the type of entrepreneurial spirit and environment that I thrive in, and I’m up for the challenge.”

In addition, Straka will represent ABG and TapouT on all forms of media, analyzing fight cards, break- ing UFC® news and interviewing the fighters.

While at FOX Straka was responsible for video operations, vendor relations and online programming, and he was the host and executive producer of “Fox Fight Game,” one of the first weekly MMA pro- grams dating back to UFC 32.

Most recently, Straka was the host of “Fighting Words with Mike Straka” on HDNet, a one-on-one interview program featuring the biggest names in MMA, including UFC president Dana White and a rare interview with UFC chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, as well as dozens of sit-downs with the world’s greatest MMA fighters.

After months of speculation from kickboxing fans, HDNet announced today they have signed a multi-year deal with European Kickboxing promotion, “It’s Showtime”.

Today, HDNet announces a long term deal with “It’s Showtime,” Europe’s leading kickboxing promotion provided by Fighting Spirit, the international fight sport programming distributor. “It’s Showtime” will make its HDNet debut with “HDNet Fights: It’s Showtime Lyon” on Friday, May 20 at 11:00 p.m. ET – immediately following the network’s broadcast of “The Voice vs. Hulk Hogan.”

In the main event of the evening, Badr Hari makes his much anticipated return to the ring against Tony Gregory. Plus, Tyrone Spong and K-1 MAX Champion Giorgio Petrosyan will also be in action.

Founded in 1998, “It’s Showtime” is known for attracting the biggest names in kickboxing and drawing some of the largest crowds in combat sports – regularly packing over 20,000 fans inside the Amsterdam Arena.

In 2011, the promotion will present ten events for HDNet from venues across Europe including the recently announced, “It’s Showtime- Fast & Furious 70 Max” grand prix on September 24 in the Forest National in Brussels, Belgium. Elite 70kg fighters participating in this prestigious one night tournament include Giorgio Petrosyan, Andy Souwer, Artur Kyshenko, Gago Drago, Murat Direkçi, Chris Ngimbi, Harut Grigorian and Pajunsuk Superpro Samui.

Fighting Spirit is an international media rights agency based in France and is the only worldwide company that specializes in the management, brand development, and distribution of combat sport TV programs. Its portfolio includes a full range of combat sport programs from wrestling with CMLL Lucha Libre, to MMA with TKO Major League and Cage Rage, going through documentaries, Reality TV shows such as Enfusion, and live events of It’s Showtime – The World Championships of Kickboxing.

“I am excited to announce that ‘It’s Showtime’ is coming to HDNet,” said Andrew Simon, CEO of HDNet Fights. “The addition of ‘It’s Showtime’ solidifies HDNet’s position as THE PLACE to watch the best strikers and stand-up action in combat sports today.”

“It is a real privilege to collaborate with HDNet. ‘It’s Showtime’ is now the number one kickboxing promotion and one of the top brands in the universe of Fighting. With this program, HDNet shows its willingness to delight American martial arts fans with top fight shows,” said Simon Rutz, CEO of “It’s Showtime.”

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Payout Perspective:

The It’s Showtime event will make it’s HDNet debut next week, with one of the most popular figures in the sport, Badr Hari, making his highly anticipated return in the main event as he takes on challenger Tony Gregory.

The deal is one that many combat sports and kickboxing fans have been clamoring and anticipating since the financial uncertainty of the #1 kickboxing promotion in the world from Japan, K-1, was reported.  HDNet still has a TV deal with K-1, and will continue to air more of their programming when it is available.

Dave Walsh over at LiverKick.com said the following regarding the deal:

Simon Rutz is no fool, as can be seen with the gradual growth of It’s Showtime over the past 12 years. It’s Showtime was not simply looking for a television deal for the United States, they were looking for promotional partners. Like we’ve seen with all of It’s Showtime’s recent events, they partner up with another company for all of their shows; BFN Group, Fight Group, Fighting Stars, Oktagon and even individuals like Yiannis Evgenikos and Kader Marouf. They wanted nothing different when it came to the United States and would not even think about promoting shows here without strong support from another promotion or entity, the same goes with television. They simply did not want to be on television, they wanted a working partnership that would expand the company.

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Only 3 months into the partnership, Malki Kawa, agent for Jon Jones and other UFC stars is leaving Florida-based Authentic Sports Management (ASM). From the press release, it appears that this will be an amicable breakup.

Via Authentic Sports Management:

This move was a mutual decision that both parties amicably agree is in the best interests of the athletes they represent.

“We agree that this decision allows us to provide more focus, deeper resources and only the absolute best management services for the athletes we represent,” said (Glenn) Robinson. “This agreement is mutual and on good terms with the best intentions for everyone.”

“As managers we both agree this is the right move,” said Kawa. “We understand and respect each other and at this point I will go in a different direction. Starting today, I will resume operation of First Round Management through which I will continue my representation of UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones, Thiago Alves, Carlos Condit, Ben Henderson and other talent.”

Robinson will assume the role of president of Authentic Sports Management, which represents UFC athletes Rashad Evans, Kenny Florian, Anthony Johnson, Jorge Santiago as well as Cosmo Alexandre, Gesias “JZ” Calvacante and the superstar brothers Danillo and Yuri Villefort, and others.

Jen Wenk will maintain public relations representation of Authentic Sports Management and its entire roster of athletes including Rashad Evans through StarPR Las Vegas LLC, and effective today with a new agreement directly with Jon Jones, will continue as the public relations representative for the UFC light heavyweight champion of the world.

As you recall Wenk left the UFC PR department to start her own agency and conduct press for ASM athletes including Jon Jones.

Payout Perspective:

A very short marriage between Kawa and ASM. One would think that with the addition of Wenk, ASM would turn into a super agency for MMA fighters. It would be interesting to see how much planning the two parties did prior to entering into the partnership. Regardless, it seems clear that the parties wanted to make sure that everyone knew that the parting was mutual and amicable. Obviously, the cautious wording of the press release was to ensure their clients that everything was fine and that other agents would not poach them.

Pepper & Bones announced today that Showtime Networks Inc. has acquired their latest documentary, FIGHTVILLE, for U.S. exhibition.

The premium network closed a deal on the film, directed by Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker, shortly after its rousing world premiere at the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, TX last month.

“We are thrilled to have SHOWTIME as our partner for FIGHTVILLE,” says co-director Petra Epperlein.  “Mixed Martial Arts is the fastest growing sport in the world and SHOWTIME is a major force in combat sports and truly represents the best in original programming,” adds Epperlein.

FIGHTVILLE chronicles the story of a minor league Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion run by Gil “The Thrill” Guillory in Lafayette, Louisiana–a place where, for many, fighting is as much ritual as it is sport. In FIGHTVILLE, life is a contest, and the area around Lafayette, which includes a neighborhood that is the namesake of the film, has no shortage of up-and-coming fighters willing to fight their way out of the dusty rodeo arenas of Louisiana to the big lights of Las Vegas. Many of them train with veteran UFC fighter “Crazy” Tim Credeur at his Gladiators Academy, where he seeks to “build better men,” while developing champion fighters.

One of those fighters, Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier, quickly became the focus of the film after a series of dramatic victories.  His story forms the backbone of the film.   “The first time we saw Dustin fight, we were immediately taken with him,” states co-director Michael Tucker.  “You could tell that the kid was going places.”  “More than just fighting, FIGHTVILLE is about what it takes to be the best at anything,” adds Tucker. “We hope that FIGHTVILLE will introduce a wider audience to the beauty and passion of MMA while elevating the mainstream perception of the sport.”

Submarine Entertainment’s Josh Braun negotiated the deal with Showtime Networks Inc., and a US theatrical and DVD distribution deal is planned as well.  FIGHTVILLE had its international premiere on April 28th at Hot Docs film festival in Toronto, Canada on the eve of UFC 129, the biggest fight in UFC history.

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Payout Perspective:

Fightville debuted in Canada on April 28th at the Hot Docs film festival in Toronto, during the Mixed Martial Arts weekend that also featured a Fan Expo and UFC 129 on Saturday night, which broke all previous UFC live event records such as attendance, gate, and bonuses given out. This weekend was a great platform for Fightville to not only showcase its highly acclaimed work,  but to also announce their deal with Showtime only days after the huge UFC 129 event took place.

It’s always a positive for the sport to see a big network acquire more MMA content.  In this case, Showtime adds to its already vast MMA content it offers to their subscriber base with Strikeforce MMA and recently the M-1 Challenge.  Whether Strikeforce sticks around on Showtime after their current deal is up remains to be seen after Zuffa purchased the promotion, but it is clear to see the value the network sees in MMA content.

MMA Elite rolled out its new sports drink to the masses at the UFC Fan Expo in Toronto on Friday. The fighting and lifestyle brand believed that the sports drink was a “natural progression” for the growth of its brand.

 (Via MMA Elite)

Via press release:

MMA Elite® has secured a licensing deal with Sirius MMA, Inc., a group founded by Bryan Lindsey, a Las Vegas based entrepreneur, and James Akers and the team at Wit Beverage (WBC), to market and distribute a naturally flavored sports drink in North America. Lindsey was first introduced to UBM in February 2010 and has since generated numerous distribution deals with UBM across a broad range of consumer products, for both domestic and international markets.

Lindsey states, “This is an opportunity to bring a naturally flavored sports drink with ‘No High Fructose Corn Syrup’ to a growing worldwide audience and to the professional athletes of the fastest growing sport in the world. Sirius MMA and WBC feels this will be a lucrative deal with a global reach and is proud to be associated with MMA Elite®, the largest MMA lifestyle brand in the world.”

“UBM realized that entering into this product category was a natural progression for the growth of MMA Elite® as a lifestyle brand while remaining solidly intact with its core fan base and the athletes themselves. Considerable time and effort has been put into the drink profile so that MMA Elite® is able to offer a unique alternative to the products currently available”, said Steven Jolna, president, UBM.

Payout Perspective:
As an official partner of the UFC, MMA Elite’s new sports drink will not conflict with Xyience, which is the official energy drink of the UFC. BJ Penn (pictured above) showed up at MMA Elite’s booth today to help promote the sports drink. It will be interesting to see how the new sports drink will be marketed and whether fans will purchase the drink.

MMA Elite rolled out its new sports drink to the masses at the UFC Fan Expo in Toronto on Friday. The fighting and lifestyle brand believed that the sports drink was a “natural progression” for the growth of its brand.

 (Via MMA Elite)

Via press release:

MMA Elite® has secured a licensing deal with Sirius MMA, Inc., a group founded by Bryan Lindsey, a Las Vegas based entrepreneur, and James Akers and the team at Wit Beverage (WBC), to market and distribute a naturally flavored sports drink in North America. Lindsey was first introduced to UBM in February 2010 and has since generated numerous distribution deals with UBM across a broad range of consumer products, for both domestic and international markets.

Lindsey states, “This is an opportunity to bring a naturally flavored sports drink with ‘No High Fructose Corn Syrup’ to a growing worldwide audience and to the professional athletes of the fastest growing sport in the world. Sirius MMA and WBC feels this will be a lucrative deal with a global reach and is proud to be associated with MMA Elite®, the largest MMA lifestyle brand in the world.”

“UBM realized that entering into this product category was a natural progression for the growth of MMA Elite® as a lifestyle brand while remaining solidly intact with its core fan base and the athletes themselves. Considerable time and effort has been put into the drink profile so that MMA Elite® is able to offer a unique alternative to the products currently available”, said Steven Jolna, president, UBM.

Payout Perspective:
As an official partner of the UFC, MMA Elite’s new sports drink will not conflict with Xyience, which is the official energy drink of the UFC. BJ Penn (pictured above) showed up at MMA Elite’s booth today to help promote the sports drink. It will be interesting to see how the new sports drink will be marketed and whether fans will purchase the drink.

Canadian based collectible figure company, Round 5, announced the release of a limited edition Georges St. Pierre figure available only at the UFC 129 Fan Expo in Toronto.  In addition, it is offering purchasers the opportunity to have their own likeness on a Round 5 figurine.

 Via Round 5 press release:

Markham, ON (April 25, 2011) – Round 5 President Damon Lau officially announces the release of the Georges “Rush” St-Pierre UFC Fan Expo Toronto 2011 Exclusive figure and gives details on how Round 5 collectors can have their own likeness turned into a Round 5 figure.

The limited edition GSP figure will only be available at the UFC Fan Expo in Toronto, and will feature GSP in his black gi and signature headband he wore at “UFC 94: St-Pierre vs. Penn 2” where he defeated BJ Penn via 4th round TKO to retain his welterweight crown. Also included in this release is a die cast replica of the UFC title belt. 

“The biggest fight in UFC history is happening in Toronto, and as a Canadian company we felt that we had to really give our hardcore collectors something incredible,” said Lau. “We don’t expect that these will be available for more than a few hours, so if you want one, you should arrive early.”

Only 1000 units of the GSP Fan Expo Toronto Exclusive figure have been produced, the figure will retail for $25.00 and can be purchased only at the Round 5 booth at the UFC Fan Expo in Toronto on April 29-30.

Round 5 will also provide attendees of UFC Fan Expo Toronto with the unique opportunity to receive a one-off Round 5 figure created in their own likeness.

“We will randomly attach “Golden Tickets” to the back of select GSP figures, these tickets will entitle the purchaser to have their head scanned, and printed onto an existing Round 5 body,” Lau said. “These figures will be official Round 5 products and will be one of a kind pieces.”
Round 5 will have a 3D imaging scanner at their booth. Five lucky collectors will win the opportunity to have their heads scanned. The resulting unpainted heads will be attached to their choice of existing Round 5 bodies.

According to the press release, Round 5 is the officially licensed collectible figure company of the UFC.

Payout Perspective:

With only 1000 units available at $25.00, the Round 5 booth will have long lines of fans clamoring for one of the GSP figurines. The crowd will probably resemble the frenzy for Cabbage Patch Kids in the 1980s. It will be interesting to check eBay next week to see how many GSP figurines will be sold and for how much. This is an example of the many Canadian-based businesses taking advantage of the throngs of fans heading to UFC 129 this weekend. It’s a chance for companies like Round 5 get in front of consumers. Aside from GSP, Round 5 has other figurines that many fans will purchase once the GSP collectibles are scooped up.

THQ and Zuffa announced a partnership to promote UFC 131: Lesnar vs. Dos Santos using the UFC’s official Facebook game. The grand prize winner will win a trip for two to UFC 131 in Vancouver.

Via THQ press release:

AGOURA HILLS, Calif. – April 20, 2011 – THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) and Zuffa, LLC today announced a consumer sweepstakes surrounding UFC® 131: LESNAR vs. DOS SANTOS via UFC® Undisputed Fight Nation™, the official Facebook game based on the world’s leading mixed martial arts (MMA) organization, the Ultimate Fighting Championship®. Available for download at http://apps.facebook.com/ufcfightnation, players may enter the sweepstakes through an on-screen pop-up display after training moves and competing against others with their virtual UFC fighters to reach Level 5 within the game. One grand prize winner will receive a trip for two to UFC 131, currently scheduled for June 11, 2011 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia.  The trip includes two tickets to UFC 131, roundtrip airfare, hotel accommodations and a stipend for meals and/or spending money.  One first prize winner will receive an autographed UFC poster and a $250 UFC gift certificate for use on ufcstore.com, while 10 second-prize winners will receive $50 UFC gift certificates for use on ufcstore.com. 

THQ is sponsoring the UFC Undisputed Fight Nation sweepstakes, which is open to residents of the United States and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and over.  Participants can enter the contest between now and 12:00 p.m. PT on May 6, 2011.  There is no purchase necessary to participate, and the sweepstakes is void where prohibited.  Further information regarding the sweepstakes, including rules and eligibility requirements, may be found at community.ufcundisputed.com.

“The launch of UFC Undisputed Fight Nation earlier this year provided us with an invaluable way to share the virtual UFC experience in a social networking environment,” said Danny Bilson, Executive Vice President, Core Games, THQ.  “Through announcement of the UFC 131 consumer sweepstakes, we look forward to engaging even more players on Facebook as they experience solid training tools, competitive gameplay and tremendous replay value.”

 Payout Perspective:
The collaboration between THQ and the UFC integrates its social media (Facebook), gaming component and the promotion of the upcoming UFC PPV. The partnership mobilizes the THQ brand by promoting consumers to play the UFC Undisputed Fight Nation game online at the UFC Facebook home page. Successful players will promote the game via social networks such as Facebook. For the UFC, its another opportunity for fans to go to its Facebook page and attract more unique visitors.

The UFC announced that it is adding grappling matches to the UFC 129 Expo in Toronto. UFC fighter Diego Sanchez will be featured in a match against number-one ranked Canadian grappler Andrew McInnes.

Via press release:

Diego “The Dream” Sanchez is already a force in the UFC^® welterweight division and has his sights set on the title currently held by Canadian superstar Georges St-Pierre. Now, the red-hot contender is out to prove that he is among the world’s most elite grapplers. The Ultimate Fighting Championship^® announced today that Sanchez will be among four competitors vying for the UFC^® Fan Expo grappling tournament title at the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto on April 29 and 30.

Sanchez will meet number-one ranked Canadian grappler Andrew McInnes in the opening round, while world-renowned jiu jitsu ace Ryan Hall, who defeated Hermes Franca at the UFC Fan Expo in Boston last August, will take on Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt Jorge Britto. Britto has trained under the likes of Helio Gracie, Royler Gracie, Saulo Ribeiro and Xande Ribeiro.

The tournament will be presented by Grappler’s Quest. It is the third grappling tournament held at a UFC expo.

Payout Perspective:

The rise in popularity of MMA has seen an indirect rise in its core disciplines including grappling. Regular people have enrolled in Jiu Jitsu schools and taken submission wrestling classes based on watching the UFC. The grappling tournament at UFC 129 adds to the list of things to do at the UFC 129 Expo in Toronto. It is a good way to promote the sport as well as giving grappling practitioners a chance to compete in front of people not exposed to the sport.

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