- UFC 108: 255,000-270,000 Buys Plus More on Attendance
- UFC aims for pay-per-view show in D.C. area
- UFC’s partial sale will shape MMA landscape
- Walker to Donate Strikeforce Purse to Charity
- Pound For Pound: ‘Strikeforce: Miami’
- Round 1 for MMA in Michigan: Royal Oak rumble
UFC 108: 255,000-270,000 Buys Plus More on Attendance
The worst case scenario for the fight was thought to be about 275,000 buys, so it’s a little disappointing to see that the UFC bottomed out on what has traditionally been one of its strongest shows of the year. However, as Meltzer points out, the card was cursed by a relentless string of injuries that pulled headline after headline from the event… (MMAPayout’s Perspective)
The total attendance for UFC 108 was a heavily papered 12,377 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The place wasn’t sold out… It should be noted that a lot of that paid was casino buys, noting that the MGM Grand had purchased a large block of tickets (which is common practice for big UFC events) and were giving two tickets away to anyone who booked a room in the hotel that weekend… (Dave Meltzer, Wrestling Observer)
UFC aims for pay-per-view show in D.C. area
After selling out George Mason University’s 8,500-seat Patriot Center in Fairfax, Va. for a UFC Fight Night 20 card on Monday, UFC wants to return to the area of the nation’s capital, UFC President Dana White told The Washington Post… “Probably in the next year, year and a half, we’ll bring a big pay-per-view here,” White said. “It’s that simple. We’ve got to plan it. … Do a deal with the venue, make sure the venue is available and we do it.” (USA Today)
UFC’s partial sale will shape MMA landscape
The move will make it significantly easier for the UFC to make headway in countries like China and India, where it has been desperate to grab a foothold but had been doing little more than spinning its wheels. The UFC has television programming in China, but it is on regional networks. Fertitta expects Flash to be able to help UFC quickly make inroads on the more influential national networks like CCTV…
“It’s hard to give specifics, but it’s at a different level. If they want to go in and have a meeting with CCTV, they’re going to get the meeting with the right guy at the right time vs. me going over there and trying to meet with a major broadcaster in China. It’s two completely different meetings.”… The government of Abu Dhabi is one of the most sought-after capital sources in the world. It has invested in major companies like Ferrari, computer chip manufacturer AMD and General Electric…(Yahoo)
Walker to Donate Strikeforce Purse to Charity
Herschel Walker plans to donate his entire purse from his professional mixed martial arts debut to charity…The soon-to-be 48-year-old will surrender his purse to Project Turnaround, a Dallas-based charity that aims to “rebuild communities from the inside out with a comprehensive, faith-based program designed to improve and enrich the lives of urban youth and families.”… “When I decided to fight, it wasn’t anything I was doing for money,” Walker said. “I love competition; I love to compete. It just so happens I was going to get paid. What I wanted to do was help someone else. I’ve been blessed in life through a lot of different things.”… (Sherdog)
Pound For Pound: ‘Strikeforce: Miami’
Despite the obvious criticisms, you have to admit that Strikeforce’s signing of 47-year-old former football star Herschel Walker has been a ringing success for the up-and-coming organization.
Walker has been all over the mainstream media since announcing he would fight at Strikeforce’s Jan. 30 show in Miami. He went on ESPN to publicly challenge UFC President Dana White – and the entire cast of “The Ultimate Fighter” season 10 – to fight for charity. He went on the Howard Stern radio show to say he only sleeps four hours per night and eats one meal per day. He worked out for the Associate Press, rolling with American Kickboxing Academy heavyweight Cain Velasquez and hitting mitts while MMA fighter/broadcaster Frank Shamrock looked on.
The detractors are many and sometimes Walker’s mouth runneth over. But so far, he’s been nothing but a media boon to a company that has to fight and claw for every bit of attention it can steal away from the UFC… (Crave Online)
Round 1 for MMA in Michigan: Royal Oak rumble
[Boxer Vernon (Ice Man)] Paris, 22, an exciting Detroit welterweight who is 18-0 with 13 KOs, will be making his professional mixed martial arts debut at Michigan’s first-ever sanctioned pro MMA event… Amateur MMA shows have been conducted in Michigan for the past four years. Saturday’s historic pro event — Lansing passed legislation to introduce pro MMA late last year — is being presented by local fight promoter Carlos Llinas in conjunction with Xtreme Cagefighting Championship (XCC) and Cage Fighting Live.com., and will be overseen by the Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission. (Detroit Free Press)
QUICK HITS
- “Inside MMA” Goes Live this Weekend from the University of Iowa (HDNet Fights)
- Henderson says he’s got Shields in April, Strikeforce says fight “not yet official” (MMAJunkie)
- Yohan Banks ruled out by FSBC, Bobby Lashley awaits opponent for Jan. 30 (MMAJunkie)
- Strikeforce Targeting Feb. 26 Date for Next Event (MMAFighting)
- Trainer: ‘Brock Lesnar is Definitely Coming Back to Fight’ (MMAFighting)
- Bob Shamrock, Father to Ken & Frank Passes Away (MMAWeekly)
- Tapout Set to Open New Gym in Boston (MMAWeekly)
- James Irvin Vs. Alessio Sakara at UFC on Versus (MMAWeekly)
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Due to his age, he underwent extensive medical testing by the Florida Boxing Commission. Allan Fields, the chief physician of the commission said Walker was given a heart stress test and he came out with the best score of anyone ever tested at the major facility, with his hearts functioning ability being compared to Muhammad Ali in his prime.” (Dave Meltzer talks Herschel Walker’s health, Wrestling Observer)
TV LISTINGS
- HDNet Fights Presents K-1 Classics (Ruslan Karaev’s, Asia GP 08′) at 8 PM ET on HDNet (01/15/10)
- InsideMMA (Dan Gable, Guy Mezger, Scott Casber & Pat Miletich) at 9 PM ET on HDNet (01/15/10)
- HDNet Fights Presents Best of 2009 K-1 World MAX at 10 PM ET on HDNet (01/15/10)
- Best of Pride FC (Wanderlei Silva vs Rampage Jackson) at 10 PM ET on Spike (01/15/10)
UPCOMING EVENTS
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This post was mentioned on Twitter by MMASupremacy: Some great tid-bits here from MMAPayout! http://mmapayout.com/2010/01/mmaterial-facts-011410/…