K-1 feeling heat in South Korean media
By Zach Arnold | September 21, 2007
By Zach Arnold
Famous Japanese blogger Gryphon pointed out a major negative TV story in South Korean media about K-1. Please read Gryphon’s post first.
After you read his post, you will notice that he had a site commenter named MD Han who said that he watched the show in question. He then sent Gryphon a summary of some of the claims made on the South Korean TV show.
Here is the show summary MD Han sent to Gryphon.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: HERO's, Japan, K-1, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 18 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Friday headlines: Mainstream blowback against MMA
By Zach Arnold | September 21, 2007
Vancouver has officially banned MMA. More details in The Vancouver Province and CBC News.
Rex Richards is fighting in the semi-main event slot of the next Art of War show in Tunica, MS. If you want to sponsor him, contact Brad Barnes at [email protected].
A mundane article on MMA in Reason Magazine, featuring this doozy of a paragraph:
As the UFC’s profile grew, it popularized a genre of combat whose incarnations and spin-offs included “cage fighting,” “extreme fighting,” “submission grappling,” and “vale tudo.” (That’s Portuguese for “anything goes.”)
Contact the author at [email protected].
Coverage of the IFL event from Florida: Quad Cities Online | South Florida Sun-Sentinel (claiming 3,470 fans at the show) | Fox Sports | The NHB Show
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Canada, IFL, Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 23 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Get Your Fights Cards Here: The Next Few Weeks
By Jeff Comstock | September 20, 2007
It’s been a great month of MMA combat, but there is still plenty left to look forward to in the next few weeks.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Jeff Comstock, MMA | 7 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
K-1 10/3 Nippon Budokan card line-up
By Zach Arnold | September 20, 2007
- Reserve fight: Murat Direkci (Turkey) vs. Sofiane Allouache (France)
- HIROYA vs. Kwon Eol Zzang
- Reserve fight: Takayuki Kohiruimaki vs. Virgil Kalakoda (South Africa)
- Tournament: Buakar Por Pramuk (Thailand) vs. Masato
- Tournament: Mike Zambidis (Greece) vs. Artur Kyshenko (Ukraine)
- Tournament: Albert Kraus (Holland) vs. Yoshihiro Sato
- Tournament: Andy Souwer (Holland) vs. Drago (Armenia)
- Tournament semi-finals (two matches)
- Kazuya Yasuhiro vs. Su Hwan Lee
- Tournament finals
Side note: ShootBoxing, which loosely works with K-1 talent, announced Andy Ologun vs. Andy Souwer for their 10/28 Ryogoku Kokugikan (Tokyo) event. Also announced for the event is Hayato “Mach” Sakurai.
Topics: Japan, K-1, Media, Zach Arnold | 6 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Thursday trash talk: Will the IFL take center stage?
By Zach Arnold | September 20, 2007
Tickets are still available for UFC 76.
Three new SEC filings by Pro Elite (here, here, and here).
The Vancouver Province newspaper printed an editorial today speaking out against a possible ban of MMA in the city. Plus, the latest on attempts to ban MMA in Perth, Australia.
Alex Marvez is reporting that the IFL is aiming for live TV broadcasts, starting in 2008. MMA Analyst has a quick preview of tonight’s Hollywood event. Plus, a curious article at Sherdog talking about the financial health of the IFL. It’s curious because of how condescending and bizarre the opening part of the article is:
Speculation on the financial health of the International Fight League is rampant. Depending on the source, the first-of-its-kind mixed martial arts team-based league is either on the verge of collapse or thriving.
The problem with such speculation is that almost none of it is rooted in fact.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Boxing, Canada, IFL, Media, MMA, Pro Elite, UFC, UK, Zach Arnold | 28 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Cage Rage ‘Contenders’ Set For Welsh Expansion
By Mark Pickering | September 20, 2007
Cage Rage’s popular feeder series ‘Contenders’ is set for pastures new and a domestic expansion with their next installment set for the Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, Wales, on the 18th November.
‘Celtic Uprising’ will become Cage Rage’s first event in Wales and is reportedly being funded by local businessmen who are producing the event in conjunction with the promotion’s co-founders Dave O’Donnell and Andy Geer.
Gracie Barra Swansea’s Chris Rees, who holds black belts in traditional Jiu-Jitsu, Shotokan Karate and Aikido, will handle preliminary matchmaking duties.
The event is expected to call on South Wales’ brightest prospects, neighbouring fighters from Bristol and a host of more established names. Amongst those rumoured to be in action are Paul Reed and KO specialist Alex Evans.
A full fight card is scheduled to be released in the coming weeks.
Topics: Mark Pickering, Media, MMA, UK | No Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
UFC Fight Night 11 & new TUF
By Zach Arnold | September 19, 2007
UFN 11 results: MMA Weekly | Sherdog | MMA Junkie | UFC Mania | Bloody Elbow | MMA on Tap | MMA HQ | MMA Madness | Observer | Steve Sievert | Yahoo Sports | CBS Sportsline
TUF reviews/notes: Sprawl ‘n Brawl | Dave Doyle | Steve Cofield interviews Joe Scarola | Fight Report | Game Critics
Steve Cofield says Mark Cuban and Dana White shook hands at the UFN event.
Jeff Hamlin and Luke Thomas break down the action on their latest radio show.
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 24 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Meet the newest MMA penny stock powerhouse
By Jeff Comstock | September 18, 2007
Will this parade ever end?
- International Fight League (IFLI.OB)
- ProElite, Inc. (PELE.PK)
- SUN Sports & Entertainment Inc. (SSPE.PK)
- EntreMetrix Corp. (ERMX.OB)
- Max Entertainment Holdings Inc. (MXEH.OB)
And now enter Bomani Corp.
Legend Credit Inc. a subsidiary of Legend Mobile Inc. (LGMB.OB) a penny stock, shell corporation, that will soon be known as Bomani Corp. is entering the world of MMA promoting.
I guess Legend Credit found there was no market for Hilary Duff credit cards so the natural thing to do would be to promote mma.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Jeff Comstock, Media, MMA, Press Releases | 13 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Wednesday war room: Heat-up for UFC Fight Night
By Zach Arnold | September 18, 2007
Weigh-in results for the UFC Fight Night show that will take place Wednesday night in Las Vegas. A complete event preview is here.
The Vancouver Sun says that the city council will ponder future of ‘human cockfighting.’ The paper claims that the city council will have a report claiming MMA is more violent than boxing.
Steve Cofield is back at it again.
The biggest news few people are talking about – Ken Condon is leaving Bally’s Atlantic City. Condon was a big backer of boxing events.
Kaoru Uno has a broken jaw thanks to the punishment Andre Dida laid on him at the HERO’s Yokohama Arena event. BTW, the HERO’s 9/17 Yokohama event drew a 12.5% rating on Tokyo Broadcasting System.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: BoDog, Boxing, Canada, HERO's, Japan, K-1, Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 45 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Pro Elite pays big for KOTC & Cage Rage
By Zach Arnold | September 17, 2007
MMA Predictions talks about consolidation in the industry.
So, what did it take for Pro Elite to buy out King of the Cage? Now we know.
Pursuant to an agreement dated September 12, 2007 (the “Purchase Agreement”) among King of the Cage, Inc. (“KOTC”), Terry Trebilcock (“Trebilcock”) and Juliemae Trebilcock, the shareholders of KOTC (the “Sellers”), and ProElite, Inc. (the “Company”), the Sellers agreed to sell to the Company all of the share capital (the “Shares”) of KOTC. The consideration for the Shares is the payment to the Sellers of $3,250,000 cash at closing; 178,571 restricted shares of the Company’s Common Stock (the “PE Shares”) to be delivered on January 2, 2008 to the Sellers and/or their designees; and $500,000 in cash to be paid sixty days from closing subject to any offset for any indemnity claims by the Company. Additionally, the Company has agreed to make Contingent Payments (the “Contingent Payments”) over a five-year period of up to an additional $5,000,000 (payable in part in cash and in part in shares of the Company’s Common Stock, as provided in the Purchase Agreement) in accordance with a schedule based on the number of events produced under the supervision of Trebilcock under the KOTC name and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”) for KOTC’s operations during such period.
Next, the price tag for buying Cage Rage:
Pursuant to an agreement dated September 11, 2007 (the “Purchase Agreement”) among Belgravia Entertainment International Limited (“Seller”), John Faraday and ProElite, Inc. (the “Company”), Seller agreed to sell to the Company all of the share capital (the “Shares”) of Mixed Martial Arts Promotions Limited, an English company (“MMAP”), and the Mixed Martial Arts Productions Limited, an English company (“MMAD”) (together, the “Target Companies”). The consideration for the Shares is the payment to Seller of $1,219,000, the issuance of 500,000 restricted shares of the Common Stock of the Company (the “PE Shares”) and the payment of an additional $1,000,000 within three business days of the first anniversary of the Closing (subject to any offset for breach of warranty). Additionally, ProElite will arrange for the repayment at Closing of (a) a loan by Integrated Technologies and Systems Limited in the amount of $2,600,000 and (b) a loan by Andrew Gear of $181,000, each made to MMAP.
If math and intrepretation serve me right, KOTC is going to get paid $3.75 million USD cash plus 178,571 restricted shares of Pro Elite stock and an additional $5 million USD in cash and stock. As for Cage Rage, $2,219,000 USD ($2.2 million USD) in cash, 500,000 restricted shares of Pro Elite, and paying off $2.8 million USD in debt (loans that Cage Rage had to pay back).
Plus… a legitimate news report about UFC? Zuffa ratings outlook cut to negative on weak operating results.
Topics: Media, MMA, Pro Elite, UK, Zach Arnold | 46 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Super Challenge Grappling: Absolute in December
By Zach Arnold | September 17, 2007
West Promotion announced a submission tournament in the absolute division for December.
Eleven months after organizing Super Challenge (the biggest MMA event in Brazil), the West Promotion confirmed that they are preparing an absolute submission tournament for December. It will be an open-weight division with 16 fighters (8 from Brazil and 8 from outside of Brazil), with a winner-take-all purse of $15,000 USD.
“We are preparing a lot of surprises, including new rules with the goal of increasing submissions. One of the great differences with this tournament is that the fighters will compete with 100% of their physical ability,” explained promoter Paulo Vasconcellos, who is traveling this week to Russia to invite a big name for the competition. “You can expect surprises for this show,” promised Vasconcellos.
Topics: Brazil, Media, MMA | 1 Comment » | Permalink | Trackback |
Tuesday headlines: Referees gone wild
By Zach Arnold | September 17, 2007
Our good friend Tetsuya Sano participated in an amateur shootboxing event in Tokyo this past weekend. Check out his matches here, here, and here. The event was covered by Sports Navigator.
The Deseret News in Utah is reporting that Brigham Young University (BYU) has banned The Versus Network on campus because the channel airs MMA (WEC).
Marvin Eastman is out of the UFC 77 event due to eye surgery. Ricardo Arona, however, may be coming into the UFC fold.
There are a lot of MMA referees who are good, but there are some who are either controversial or just plain bad. Yuji Shimada falls in the latter category. Mario Yamasaki… Fightlinker further elaborates.
Here is the card line-up for the Art of War 4 show on 10/27 in Tunica, MS. We have a Rex Richards sighting, which is a good thing.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Boxing, IFL, Japan, Media, MMA, Pro Elite, UFC, UK, WEC, Zach Arnold | 19 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
HERO’s 9/17 Yokohama Arena
By Zach Arnold | September 16, 2007
JZ Calvan repeats as Middleweight champion. Claimed attendance was 12,310 at Yokohama Arena. Some more news and notes here. Official results here.
How the event played out in the Japanese media… Sankei Sports notes that the event was a nice springboard for New Year’s Eve, with the major names likely being Sakuraba, Yamamoto, Akiyama, and Rickson (with Yoshida perhaps). Sports Nippon notes the encounter between Minowaman and Rickson Gracie. Plus, the newspaper has plenty of event pictures. Daily Sports takes note of Sakuraba vs. Rickson implications for New Year’s Eve.
Tokyo Sports is teasing some of the plans for K-1’s New Year’s Eve event and what the creative direction for the promotion is going to be. The pro-wrestling hating North American hardcore fans will dislike it immensely. The newspaper claims that the promotion will adopt a “Maeda’s UWF army vs. Gracie” storyline, with a scenario featuring the winner of Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Masakatsu Funaki facing Rickson Gracie. The proposed theme would then result in a 7 vs. 7 Tokyo Dome-level program series. Some names the paper teased for the Maeda army — Sakuraba, Minoru (Suzuki), Funaki, Tamura, Minowaman, Shibata, and Tokoro.
Topics: HERO's, Japan, K-1, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 39 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |