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Sunday snippets: Iowa MMA regulation stays

By Zach Arnold | April 29, 2007

The Mason City Globe Gazette, which called for a ban of MMA in the state of Iowa on Saturday, is reporting that an MMA deregulation measure in the state has failed. The state will continue to regulate MMA events.

The San Antonio Express-News: Boxing needs a De La Hoya-Mayweather classic
New York Newsday: Long Island’s Matt Serra – underdog now world champion
Emediawire (PR): Xyience sets high goals for ’07 and ’08 (has information about new company executives)
The Verde Independent (Arizona): Rumble in the Red Rocks set for June 9th
Radio (Eddie Goldman): Interview with Lana Stefanac
The Fight Works Podcast: Kurt Pellegrino, Baret Yoshida, and Zach Arnold interviews (we talk about the latest in the Ed Fishman lawsuit)

Topics: Boxing, Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 6 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

K-1 World GP in Hawaii

By Zach Arnold | April 28, 2007

Event results here. Badr Hari is the new heavyweight champion. The estimated attendance for the show was 7,066 paid.

Topics: K-1, Media, Zach Arnold | 28 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

New MMA TV comedy show in production

By Zach Arnold | April 28, 2007

Hergott Productions Gears Up To Start Production On New MMA TV Show

CORONA DEL MAR, Calif., April 26, 2007 Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Hergott Productions, Inc. President James Hergott announced today the production of a brand new fictional MMA TV show. The show will be a “Reno 911” type comedic take off on the popular “The Ultimate Fighter” TV show. Mr. Hergott stresses that the TV shows will be very respectful of the MMA community it’s fighters and its fans but will be an absolutely hilarious take off on the MMA reality show phenomenon. Mr. Hergott comments, “I am very enthusiastic about this project and I think that both MMA and non MMA fans alike will enjoy it.”

Mr. Hergott recently resigned as president of Imperia Entertainment, Inc. and is now concentrating on his own projects including this one. He is the creator and will serve as producer/director and one of the writers on this project.

A major top five studio has signed on to likely distribute the first 14-episode season based on the response of the pilot episode. More information about the show and our partners will be given over time as we close in on production.

Please contact us if you meet one of the following criteria:

-Are a fighter/actor or other performer who has auditioned either in person or by tape/DVD for Mr. Hergott and/or Ms. Johnson for “Never Submit” or any other projects that they have been involved in (non union performers are preferred).

-Are an MMA contact looking to partner who has had a working relationship with Mr. Hergott in the past or who is looking to establish one for this project. This includes MMA journalists, reporters, sponsors, promoters, MMA related products, fighter managers etc.

-An actor who has not auditioned but has a significant improv or comedic resume.

-A top fighter who has not auditioned but is interested in a cameo or other opportunity in connection with the project.

-Crew/Camera/Sound/Editing experience etc.

-Comedy or TV writing experience.

-Ring or cage builder.

-Live in the Orange County area and have possible locations for shooting. Example: home, gym etc.

-Interested in other partnerships opportunities in regards to this project.

If interested, please contact Stephanie Johnson at:

[email protected]

ABOUT JAMES HERGOTT

James Hergott was born in Cornwall, Ontario in 1976. Always an imaginative spirit, Hergott’s film career began in high school at age thirteen when he got his first home video camera. His cast and crew were comprised of other kids in his neighborhood. Though Hergott struggled with a learning disability in his early years, he was found to be of superior intellectual caliber with an escalated sense of ingenuity and creativity. While in college at York University, Hergott started his own business, a 1-900 job line servicing all of Canada. His new venture skyrocketed, and he even turned his dorm room into his corporate headquarters, but he never lost his true passion for filmmaking. In 1999, his biggest break yet came when he met Hollywood producer Tarquin Gotch at the Toronto Film Festival. The two formed an instant friendship and working relationship. Gotch was so impressed with Hergott’s tenacity and love of filmmaking that he took him under his tutelage. Together they developed the Showtime biopic “Call Me Donald” on real estate mogul Donald Trump. The collaboration garnered national media attention for Hergott in the industry cornerstone Variety which reported “Young Buck, Plays Trump Card” in their April 1999 issue. The Don himself also praised Hergott’s work and in a personal letter to the young filmmaker, Mr. Trump wrote that he was “extremely talented” and wished him the best in his “burgeoning career.”Hergott also went on to co-write the feature film “Brothers” with Gotch, which is scheduled to begin production in Canada in early 2006. The partnership led to the co-founding of Steinberg Gotch Entertainment with Hergott, Gotch and famous sports agent Leigh Steinberg. In 2004, Hergott went solo with the production and direction of his first feature film “All That I Need.” The film debuted at the Cannes International Film Festival Market in 2005 as part of a roster of films presented by a Beverly Hills production company. Following the success of the film at Cannes, executives decided to offer Hergott the presidency of the company, a challenge he eagerly accepted. In this position, he was able to secure a limited theatrical release of “All That I Need” with the Regal/UA Theatre chain that exhibited the film on screens across the country. Hergott has also been featured in over 200 media outlets throughout the U.S. and Canada as well as a number of national publications including Indie Slate and Create Magazines.

Topics: Media, MMA, Press Releases | 9 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

Saturday squash: Newspaper calls for Iowa MMA ban

By Zach Arnold | April 28, 2007

By Zach Arnold

A typical, boilerplate article on MMA in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune called Ultimate fighting: bloody but popular. The one interesting aspect to the article is that it was Toughman-style promoters using MMA as their gimmick is what has led to the heavy criticism of MMA in the state. This is what we are seeing in Michigan as well (the home of Toughman).

The Mason City Globe Gazette is calling on the Iowa Senate to ban MMA in the state.

The toll free telephone number to reach the newspaper’s switchboard is 1-800-421-0546. Their FAX number is 641-421-0516. The phone number for editor Joe Buttweiler is 641-421-0542 and the phone number for opinion editor Tom Thoma is 641-421-0566. If you contact the newspaper, stay on your best behavior (please).

Continue reading this article here…

Topics: BoDog, Boxing, Media, MMA, PRIDE, UFC, Zach Arnold | 43 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

Exclusive: Big names listed for Fishman deposition

By Zach Arnold | April 27, 2007

By Zach Arnold

According to a source with information related to the Fishman Companies vs. DSE Inc. lawsuit filed in Clark County, Nevada, Fishman Companies lawyers are reportedly preparing a list of witnesses for future deposition. The source claims that the list has over 50 big-named players in the MMA industry, including all top players in Dream Stage Entertainment, Zuffa LLC, and top Japanese power brokers in the MMA business.

Furthermore, I was told that Ed Fishman (of Fishman Companies) is planning on a tell-all book regarding his experiences with PRIDE and other players in the MMA industry.

Continue reading this article here…

Topics: Japan, K-1, Media, MMA, PRIDE, UFC, Yakuza, Zach Arnold | 2 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

Friday notes: UFC’s plans for PRIDE

By Zach Arnold | April 26, 2007

Sherdog.com to provide content for ESPN.

An update on Operation Cleanup 3.

IFL 6/16 Las Vegas event poster. Vernon “Tiger” White vs. Mike Whitehead a top match on the show.

Here is this week’s edition of the Fox Fight Game.

Continue reading this article here…

Topics: Boxing, IFL, Japan, Media, MMA, PRIDE, Pro-Wrestling, UFC, Zach Arnold | 27 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

The Ultimate Fighter Season 5, Episode 4

By Erin | April 26, 2007

By Erin Bucknell

BJ is adamant that even though his team is down 3 fights, they can still come back.

Team Jens training session. Wayne doesnâ€™t seem to be at the same level as everyone else and Jens thinks that heâ€™s trying to do things the easy way. Score for the Editors who intercut a shot of Wayne saying that heâ€™s here to fight with shots him half-heartedly whacking a punching bag.

Continue reading this article here…

Topics: Erin Bucknell, MMA, UFC | 7 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

Update on Ed Fishman lawsuit (4/26)

By Zach Arnold | April 26, 2007

By Zach Arnold

Quick notes from the latest legal proceedings this week in the Fishman Companies vs. DSE Inc. lawsuit:

A meeting set last week (scheduled for Wednesday) was held in regards to the plantiff’s motion for a hearing on waiving compliance. In short, Fishman Companies attorney Lawrence Semenza III is arguing to the court that a resolution to the case needs to be done swiftly because the PRIDE asset sale transaction between DSE & Zuffa LLC is supposed to be executed on May 1st. The attorney for DSE Inc. is Patrick Reilly.

Continue reading this article here…

Topics: Japan, Media, MMA, PRIDE, UFC, Zach Arnold | 3 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

Report: No drug testing for UFC 69 or UFC 70

By Zach Arnold | April 26, 2007

By Zach Arnold

Update: The Chronicle report is now discussed on the AOL Sports Blog. And here’s the inevitable Sherdog thread on the topic. Further links: UFC Mania, UFC Junkie. Here are some reasons why I think this is an important story.

Steve Sievert in the Houston Chronicle drops a bombshell this morning in a report claiming that Zuffa LLC, the parent company of UFC, did not administer drug tests to fighters for either the UFC 69 (Houston) or UFC 70 (Manchester, UK) events.

Continue reading this article here…

Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, UK, Zach Arnold | 41 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

Thursday trash talk: Proxy wars in Japan

By Zach Arnold | April 25, 2007

By Zach Arnold

Gryphon has more details on Motoichiro Takasu’s story about Ken Imai causing a scene at the BodogFight 4/14 Russia event.

The IFL stock jumped up nearly 70 cents/share to close at $4.59. Is there some good financial news about the IFL that hasn’t been said publicly? And what is this?

Continue reading this article here…

Topics: Boxing, IFL, Japan, Media, MMA, PRIDE, Pro-Wrestling, UFC, UK, Zach Arnold | 18 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

FO Radio 4/25 mailbag

By Zach Arnold | April 25, 2007

You give us questions, we answer them on the radio show.

If you use automatic downloaders to get our weekly shows (and haven’t seen this message yet), read the following. We are using FeedBurner to distribute our shows. The link specifically for the radio show is http://feeds.feedburner.com/fightopinionradio and the default subscription link is for iTunes. However, the FeedBurner page also gives you multiple podcatching options (look at the subscribe now box on the FB page). We also have listed multiple podcatching options for the radio show on the right side of the main page. Use them. We strongly are encouraging you to switch over to the FeedBurner links. FB does a great job with the feed maintenance.

Continue reading this article here…

Topics: Fight Opinion Radio, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 13 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |