K-1 4/13 Yokohama Arena card line-up
By Zach Arnold | February 28, 2008
- Super Heavyweight Title match: Semmy Schilt vs. Mark Hunt
- Yusuke Fujimoto vs. Ewerton Teixiera
- Badr Hari vs. Ray Sefo
- Mighty Mo vs. Keijiro Maeda
Choi Hong-Man, Glaube Feitosa, Musashi, and others are also booked for the show.
Topics: Japan, K-1, Media, Zach Arnold | 6 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Reports: Elite XC will have a deal with CBS
By Zach Arnold | February 28, 2008
Sherdog report here. MMA Junkie was the outlet that first reported the news.
Meanwhile, Bloody Elbow has discussion about the rapid competition that is coming UFC’s way shortly. Adam Swift has an update about the latest legal manueverings between Zuffa & Randy Couture.
Update: Here is the CBS/EXC joint press release.
Adam Swift brings up a curious part of the rumored deal:
MMAPayout.com has also learned the rumored financial terms of the agreement. The deal is believed to be a straight time buy, meaning EXC would received no live rights fees. Pro Elite is already shopping for a title sponsor of the first show at $500,000, plus a commitment to buy a minimum of eight commercial spots from CBS, and a $100,000 investment in Pro Elite.
One of the lessons I learned over the many years from promoters in the pro-wrestling business is that if you have to buy the air time, it means the only loyalty a TV network has to you is the paycheck you give them for each show. In other words, let’s wait and see what kind of loyalty CBS really has to Elite XC on the deal other than a “straight cash, homey” kind of situation. Saturday night is a tough night to make headway on a program like this (just ask Vince McMahon with how poorly Saturday Night’s Main Event did the last couple of years.)
Update II: Dave Meltzer reports that UFC has inked a sponsorship deal with Bud Light.
Update III: This SEC filing claims that the CBS/Pro Elite deal was inked on February 22nd.
During the term, subject to limited exceptions, the Company’s ProElite and EliteXC brands will be exclusive to CBS in broadcast television and premium cable in the United States (excluding Puerto Rico) and Bermuda.
Topics: Media, MMA, Pro Elite, UFC, Zach Arnold | 10 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Xyience responds to Bergeron’s counterclaim
By Zach Arnold | February 27, 2008
Isn’t this an interesting response. As things currently stand, a court hearing regarding Bergeron’s motion to dismiss is set for next week (3/5) and his sanctions filing hearing is set for 3/18.
Past Xyience posts:
- Leland Roling – PRIDE, Xyience, Zuffa, and you
- Bergeron files 90-page counterclaim against Xyience
- Fightlinker’s interview with Rich Bergeron
Topics: Media, Zach Arnold | 6 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Rio Fight Club event tomorrow
By Zach Arnold | February 27, 2008
Press release
buy the show @ http://www.intheguard.tv/riofc/livePPV.php
full card @ http://www.intheguard.tv/riofc/fightcard.php
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Brazil, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 3 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
K-1 World MAX 2008 Final 16
By Zach Arnold | February 27, 2008
4/9 Hiroshima Prefectural Gym card line-up:
- Masato vs. Virgil Kalakoda
- Buakaw Por Pramuk vs. Albert Kraus
- Andy Souwer vs. Mike Zambidis
- Yoshihiro Sato vs. Murat Direkci
- Drago vs. GORI
- Artur Kyshenko vs. Jordan Tai
- Rosario Presti vs. Warren Stevelmans
- Chi Bin-Lim vs. Yasuhiro Kido
Plus:
- Yuya Yamamoto vs. Marfio Canoletti
- HIROYA vs. Tsukasa Fuji
Topics: Japan, K-1, Media, Zach Arnold | 3 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
American presidential politics
By Zach Arnold | February 26, 2008
Normally, I hate discussing non-business-related politics on this site. However, given what is happening with the 2008 US election cycle, one of the two finalists in the Presidential race is John McCain. McCain, as all North American MMA fans know, was the main politician to go after UFC during the SEG days when Bob Meyrowitz was running the company.
We can thank the Senator for having to put up with the phrase “human cockfighting” for well over a decade.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 12 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
A DREAM turning into a nightmare
By Zach Arnold | February 26, 2008
Gryphon has two news items of interest. First, Kaoru Uno is unlikely to work for the DREAM promotion right now. Second, DREAM backers are in a panic about Bob Sapp losing to Jan “The Giant” Nortje.
A panic? Why, our fine fellow readers chided me for making such a suggestion a couple of days ago!
Off-topic, speaking of nightmares… Bob Arum says the Jermain Taylor vs. Kelly Pavlik PPV only drew 250,000 buys.
Update: Pro Fight Store is pushing a rumor that Mirko Cro Cop will fight Mighty Mo at the DREAM 3/15 Saitama Super Arena event. Meanwhile, Mirko says nobody wants to face him.
Topics: Boxing, DREAM, Japan, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 17 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Update on UFC vs. Couture lawsuit
By Zach Arnold | February 26, 2008
There was supposed to be a hearing in Clark County court today in front of judge Jennifer Togliatti in regards to a preliminary injunction that Zuffa LLC filed in court (I would assume regarding Xtreme Couture’s team participating in the IFL). According to the Clark County courthouse site, the pleading was amended today with a production of an affidavit. Details here.
The next hearing scheduled in the case is on Thursday at 4:30 PM PST.
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 1 Comment » | Permalink | Trackback |
Klitschko or Kimbo?
By Zach Arnold | February 26, 2008
That was the question asked today by Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon on ESPN.
The fact is, amongst the various American sportswriters (for better or for worse), Kimbo Slice is the symbol of MMA. Both Kornheiser and Wilbon called MMA “savagery” on TV.
Topics: Boxing, Media, MMA, Pro Elite, Zach Arnold | 5 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
YAMMA 4/11 Atlantic City card
By Zach Arnold | February 26, 2008
Press release
Los Angeles, February 26, 2008 – Today YAMMA Pit Fighting (YPF), a new mixed martial arts (MMA) organization created by Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) founder Bob Meyrowitz, announced that their first matchup will pit Russia vs. U.S.A, as Oleg “The Russian Bear” Taktarov and Don “The Predator” Frye will go toe-to-toe in the organization’s first live pay-per-view event.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Media, MMA, Press Releases, Zach Arnold | 11 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Tuesday media takedown (2/26/08)
By Zach Arnold | February 26, 2008
The brand new web site for the DREAM promotion is DreamOfficial.com. The DREAM web site is basically a modified format from the old DSE web site for PRIDE. The domain name for the web site was registered on behalf of the promotion’s backers by Network Solutions. Card line-up for 3/15 Saitama Super Arena show.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Canada, DREAM, Japan, Media, MMA, Pro Elite, UFC, Zach Arnold | No Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Monday news & notes (2/25/08)
By Zach Arnold | February 25, 2008
Jan “The Giant” Nortje makes quick work of Bob Sapp
For those of you in the Reno area, supposedly there is going to be an MMA event at the Grand Sierra Resort on April 5th. The promoter is High Roller Productions. Anyone have details on this show?
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Boxing, K-1, Media, MMA, Pro Elite, South Korea, UFC, WWE, Zach Arnold | 19 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Spirit MC Ring Girls: Tall, thin, hot.
By Zach Arnold | February 25, 2008
Guest column by MMA Weekly South Korea correspondent John Evans
If you are looking for legitimate MMA news, skip ahead now, because this article is primarily about tall, thin, hot women, promotion marketing, and me.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Media, MMA, South Korea | 10 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |