Wednesday war room: Some big turkeys in MMA
By Zach Arnold | November 21, 2007
On this upcoming Thanksgiving holiday in the States, let us remind you that there is more than UFC on Spike TV. Oh yes, there is.
Boxer Jeff Lacy thinks MMA is a fad and not a sport.
Solar, a channel in the Philippines, has found its request to air UFC programming rejected. The only way UFC will air is if it is ‘sanitized.’
Strikeforce’s next event will happen at the Tacoma Dome on 2/23 in Washington state. Bryan Alvarez will be thrilled about this.
Jon Fitch defeated Diego Sanchez last September in Anaheim and surely you would think that this could earn him a UFC Welterweight title shot… or earn him a match against Akihiro Gono. This is an odd match-up and if I was Fitch’s agent, there no way I would accept the booking (zero up-side whatsoever to the match). Furthermore, if it is a true story, what does this say about UFC’s opinion of Fitch overall? They really have not marketed this guy well or even tried to do so, in my opinion.
Plus, Yushin Okami may be returning to UFC.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: BoDog, Boxing, Canada, HDNet, IFL, Japan, M-1, Media, MMA, PRIDE, Pro Elite, StrikeForce, UFC, UK, Zach Arnold | 13 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Cage Force 12/1 Differ Ariake
By Zach Arnold | November 21, 2007
From Sports Navigator (w/ Jordan Breen):
Preliminaries
Lightweights: Junichi Ota vs. Hiroshi Takita
Featherweights: Yuji Arakawa vs. Seiya Kawahara
Main card
- Middleweights: Yukiya Naito vs. Takenori Sato
- Lightweights: ISE vs. Takahito Iida
- Bantamweights: Kenji Osawa vs. Punchy Yamauchi
- 57 kg: Yasuhuri Urushitani vs. Jesse Taitano
- Lightweights: Mizuto Hirota vs. Sing Do Gi
- Cage Force Welterweight Tournament finals: Yoshiyuki Yoshida vs. Dan Hardy
- Cage Force Lightweight Tournament finals: Kotetsu Boku vs. Artur Oumakhanov
Also booked: Takeya Mizugaki, Satoru Kitaoka
Topics: Japan, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 3 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
IFL Q3 2007 conference call recap
By Zach Arnold | November 20, 2007
The conference call was scheduled to start at 10 AM EST, but instead started at 11 AM EST. The archived audio of today’s conference call.
Jay Larkin stated off the call talking about Gareb Shamus stepping down from his current position in the IFL. Larkin said that Shamus helped the IFL become a “number two factor” in the MMA industry. Larkin went on to talk about his experience in TV and broadway, really putting himself and his credentials over as hard as he could. Larkin believes that MMA has lots of room for growth and the IFL is positioned to benefit from it.
The focus on improving cash flow and investment value starts in Q4 2007, with changes to the league for reducing costs for the house shows. The 2008 broadcast schedule should be coming out publicly within the next few weeks.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: IFL, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 15 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Hiromi Amada facing assault charges
By Zach Arnold | November 20, 2007
Mainichi Daily News is reporting that 34-year old Hiromi Amada is facing possible charges of beating up a truck driver after the truck supposedly almost hit him while he was riding his bicycle.
What isn’t written in the Mainichi article, at least according to Nikkan Sports, is that Amada was returning home after working at his part-time job in Itabashi-ku (a district in Tokyo) and had been drinking.
Techno Goliath in training
Choi Hong-Man is preparing to fight Jerome Le Banner at the K-1 World GP event on 12/8 at Yokohama Arena. K-1 published an interview with Hong-Man on their web page, discussing the upcoming fight. Hong-Man is listed as a freelancer on the K-1 12/8 Yokohama Arena card line-up.
M-1 press conference set
On Wednesday, M-1 Global will hold a press conference to announce that Fedor, his brother Alexander, and Roman Zentsov will fight at Saitama Super Arena on NYE.
Topics: Japan, K-1, M-1, Media, Zach Arnold | 22 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Who Showtime almost hired for Elite XC
By Zach Arnold | November 20, 2007
By Zach Arnold
In an interview with ESPN’s Bill Simmons, Gus Johnson (NFL on CBS & MSG sports announcer) revealed to Simmons (audio starts at the 29 minute mark) that he had/has aspirations to do play-by-play for MMA events. In fact, according to Johnson, he was scheduled to be the original play-by-play guy for Showtime on the Elite XC & Sho XC broadcasts (instead of Mauro Ranallo).
However, according to Johnson, the Saturday events conflicted with the scheduling for his regular Sunday afternoon NFL games. Johnson says that in the future that he would like to do play-by-play for both boxing and MMA events.
Topics: Media, MMA, Pro Elite, Zach Arnold | 7 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Tuesday headlines: More media reaction to UFC 78
By Zach Arnold | November 19, 2007
There is a lot of activity this week for MMA events.
Eddie Goldman discusses the latest news in the firing of Larry Hazzard from the NJACB.
Dave Meltzer on why UFC 78 didn’t validate anyone. MMA Analyst elaborates further. Plus, Fightmetric analysis of Rashad Evans vs. Michael Bisping. Here is a new edition of Fox News Fight Game, recapping UFC 78. CNBC’s Fast Money program was also at UFC 78. Mike Sawyer and Oliver Copp share their UFC 78 thoughts on a new edition of their radio show.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Japan, M-1, Media, MMA, PRIDE, UFC, UK, Zach Arnold | 8 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
IFL 10Q report for Q3 2007
By Zach Arnold | November 19, 2007
By Zach Arnold
Update: The archived audio of today’s conference call.
Here is the new SEC filing that the IFL processed on Monday afternoon after the end of the trading session.
There will be a conference call tomorrow at 10 AM EST to discuss the financials. Audio of that conference call should be available here.
The obvious line that will stand out for casual readers is that the company right now has an accumulated deficit of $27.13 million USD, which is a significant increase over the $9.65 million USD figure (for accumulated deficit) as of 12/31/2006. The company claims that they have $9.34 million USD cash and cash equivalents on hand.
Based upon management’s current forecast of future revenues and expenses, the Company believes its cash resources will likely be sufficient to fund operations into the third quarter of 2008.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: IFL, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 4 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Monday media notes: Fallout from Strikeforce event in San Jose
By Zach Arnold | November 19, 2007
Mike Tyson sentenced to jail for 24 hours.
Joe Doerksen has a broken orbital bone.
MMA California has two articles (here and here) talking about last Friday’s StrikeForce event in San Jose. Dave Meltzer has an article about Cung Le’s win. Meltzer says the SF show drew 8,233 fans at the old San Jose Arena (HP Pavilion). According to the CSAC Monday morning, the attendance figures: 5,621 paid, 1,628 passes, and 2,203 papered tickets for a gate of $387,685 USD. Cung Le was paid $50,000 USD.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: BoDog, Japan, K-1, Media, MMA, StrikeForce, UFC, Zach Arnold | 14 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Pro Elite 10Q SEC report for Q3 2007
By Zach Arnold | November 19, 2007
By Zach Arnold
The SEC just published the Q3 2007 quarterly financial report for Pro Elite Inc. There is a lot of data to read, so if you are up for the task, have at it and post thoughts in the comments section.
Although the Company has approximately $10.5 million of cash at September 30, 2007, additional financing is needed to continue to grow the operations to their desired levels over the next 12 months. We are currently seeking additional financing.
With all of the M & A (mergers and acquisitions) that the company has recently undertaken, they are claiming assets of $30.6 million USD. At the start of 2007, Pro Elite Inc. claimed the value of their total assets at $8.5 million USD.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Media, MMA, Pro Elite, Zach Arnold | 4 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Report: NBC wants MMA programming
By Zach Arnold | November 19, 2007
By Zach Arnold
MediaPost Publications is reporting that NBC is interested in airing MMA programming next year if the writers’ strike continues. The article claims that it is unlikely that UFC would be involved in the mix, as talks between UFC and CBS are heating up.
The idea that we could see UFC on CBS and a promotion like M-1 or the IFL on NBC, both in prime time in Q1 2008, would be a huge credibility boost for the MMA industry in North America.
Quick thoughts: The bigger, if not more ominous question for MMA purists, is what Vince McMahon would have to say about all of this. McMahon currently airs programming on NBC Universal stations USA Network & The Sci-Fi Network. Shane McMahon, Vince’s son, has long wanted to get into the MMA business. Considering the long friendship that the McMahon family has had with NBC Sports President Dick Ebersol, and it is not out of the realm of possibility that WWE would be interested in creating a new MMA organization if guaranteed prime-time real estate coverage.
Topics: IFL, Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 28 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Sunday quick notes (11/18)
By Zach Arnold | November 18, 2007
Check out the latest edition of The Fightworks Podcast.
Here are some multimedia shots of Sean Salmon getting KO’d in San Jose last Friday.
Making the case that Michael Bisping won his fight at UFC 78.
Tim Smith in The New York Daily News is not happy about Larry Hazzard’s firing from the NJACB. Keith Idec has more thoughts.
One item that should be duly noted about UFC 78 is that the event did successfully make in-roads in the British media, as The Sunday Telegraph covered Michael Bisping’s loss to Rashad Evans. NBC Sports decided to focus on Frankie Edgar’s win.
Are problems brewing between Quinton Jackson and UFC? We know Jackson injured his hand a little while back, but…
Anderson Silva vs. Dan Henderson appears to be set.
For those expecting any sort of drug testing results from the UFC 78 show in New Jersey, don’t. Test results are not given out publicly by the NJACB due to privacy issues. Therefore, fighters are already getting bonuses. Plus, Joe Silva is drawing some heat online for his recent matchmaking in UFC. Alex Marvez says UFC 78 didn’t pan out well.
Steve Sievert says that Houston Alexander is now exposed.
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 19 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Quotes of the Day
By Zach Arnold | November 18, 2007
Kevin Iole says that it is time to bring MMA to New York. This paragraph about UFC 78 is not flattering to his article:
The problem was, the card should have been in New York at Madison Square Garden. It deserved to be held on sport’s biggest stage.
On the same week that Larry Hazzard (the man who helped build momentum for the Unified rules in the States for MMA) got fired, Dana White is back to parroting The Zuffa Myth:
“The thing that cracks me up,” White said on Saturday during the post-fight news conference, “and that is so ironic about this whole thing is that this was originally pulled off of pay-per-view and off of cable because Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) wanted it to be sanctioned and the former owner didn’t want it to be sanctioned. … Now, there are other commissions saying they won’t sanction it when we’re trying to be sanctioned.”
Yes, because as we all know, Bob Meyrowitz never wanted UFC fights sanctioned under his ownership. Just ask Dana White.
Honorable mention: Joe Rogan on ESPN.
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 5 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
UFC 78
By Zach Arnold | November 17, 2007
Recaps: Observer | Sherdog | MMA Junkie | Bloody Elbow | MMA on Tap | Fightlinker | Steve Sievert | Kevin Iole | Kevin Iole Pt. 2 | Steve Cofield | MMA Opinion | F4W Online
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 22 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |