ProElite offers free tickets for dressing like Minowaman
January 12, 2012
Cagewriter reports that ProElite will offer a free ticket to any fan donning fighter Minowaman’s attire. The Japanese fighter of Pride fame usually wear’s speedo-like red trunks when he grapples.
Via T. Jay Thompson’s twitter:
Payout Perspective:
Its a creative promotion to gain publicity for one of its top attractions for the 1/21 event as well as boost attendance. There should also be some interesting photo-ops.
We all recall the UFC chastised Dennis Hallman for wearing speedos in his match against Brian Ebersole. And next week, we may have an arena full of people wearing speedos.
11 for 11: No. 11 ProElite reemerges in 2011
December 20, 2011
In the next two weeks MMA Payout will be bringing you the top 11 MMA business stories of 2011. Sure, you will dispute our rankings but its a nice review of what’s happened over a very active 2011 in the MMA business.
11. ProElite reemerges for two events in 2011
Entertainment company Stratus Media Group acquired a 95% stake in Pro Elite in June which started the wheels toward the company’s first card in August. MMA Payout had a two part exclusive with VP of Fight Operations T. Jay Thompson. In addition to Thompson, ex-Strikeforce exec Rich Chou was an important acquisition for the company.
The debut card, Pro Elite 1, held the same day as UFC Rio on August 27th was streamed live on Sherdog. It was held in Honolulu, Hawaii. The card featured Andre Arlovlski, Reagan Penn and Kendall Grove.
In October, it announced a multi-fight, multi-year TV deal with HD Net. Pro Elite 2: Big Guns, was held on November 5th in Moline, Illinois.Its next card is scheduled for January 21, 2012 at the same location as PE1.
It will be interesting to see how ProElite does with its third event and how it will expand in 2012.
ProElite Signs Multi-Year TV Deal With HDNet
October 18, 2011
ProElite announced a new multi-fight, multi-year TV deal with HDNet last night during Inside MMA’s live broadcast debut on the network. The first ProElite televised event on HDNet will be “HDNet Fights: ProElite – Big Guns”, taking place at the iWireless Center in Moline, IL on November 5th.
“After watching their first event in Hawaii, I could see ProElite was a great fit for HDNet,” said Andrew Simon, CEO of HDNet Fights. “This upcoming card has the perfect mix of marquee names and an innovative Heavyweight tournament that fight fans won’t want to miss!”
Former UFC Heavyweight Champions Tim Sylvia and Andrei Arlovski will headline the event in separate bouts in addition to an 8-man Heavyweight tournament to identify the up-and-coming talent among MMA’s heavy hitters.
“Our multi-fight agreement with HDNet elevates the ProElite brand to a national MMA audience with a preeminent broadcast partner,” said Paul Feller, President and CEO of Stratus Media Group and Chairman of ProElite. “This strategic partnership offers new opportunities for corporate sponsors and advertisers looking to reach this passionate and rapidly growing audience of ProElite fans.”
ProElite will soon announce its full fight card, which will include some of Quad Cities favorite fighters and emerging MMA talent. Tickets are now on sale at the iWireless Center box office and on ticketmaster.com.
Payout Perspective:
It had been long speculated that ProElite was in heavy talks with HDNet to televise their second event after reviving the ProElite brand earlier this year. After all, it made complete sense considering that Head of Fight Operations T.J. Thompson has been adamant about signing a TV deal which corresponded to the current stage of the reborn MMA promotion.
If you recall, Strikeforce also signed a similar TV deal with HDNet back in 2008, just before signing their monumental TV deal with Showtime and CBS just a few months later. The deal proved to be key to Strikeforce’s growth, as it catapulted them to the #2 MMA promotion in the U.S. and maintaining that title until being purchased by UFC’s parent company – Zuffa – earlier this year.
The November 5th event will host a prospect HW GP along with Arlovski vs Fulton and Sylvia vs Kraniotakes as the main events.
Promo:
ProElite: Big Guns Card on HDNet:
Tim Sylvia (29-7) vs Andreas Kraniotakes (12-4)
Andrei Arlovski (16-9) vs Travis Fulton (247-48)
HW Grand Prix Portion:
Mark Ellis (1-0) vs Ryan Martinez (5-1)
Richard Odoms (5-0) vs Jason Bosler (3-1)
Jake Heun (1-1) vs Chris Birchler (1-0)
Walt Harris (3-1) vs Esteves Jones (7-2)
MMA Promotion ProElite & UFC Hall of Famer Featured on CBS’ Hawaii Five-0
September 15, 2011
It looks like CBS is not completely done with MMA just quite yet. Los Angeles based MMA promotion ProElite and CBS top rated show “Hawaii Five-0” have teamed up to create an episode based around the sport of Mixed Martial Arts and UFC & MMA Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell.
ProElite’s Head of Fight Operations T.Jay Thompson stated the following on Twitter:
“#1 rated show Hawaii 5-0 shooting an episode based around a Pro Elite MMA event today. @Rich_Chou and I on set at Blaisdell Arena.I think there may be some raised eyebrows when you find out who is playing the role of ProElite fighter opposite McGarret on H50.”
The episode (Episode 6, Season 2) will air this fall and will feature no other than UFC and MMA Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell playing the role of ProElite MMA fighter who takes on Hawaii 5-0 star Alex O’Loughlin (Steve McGarrett).
Hawaii Five-0 Season 2 Preview on CBS:
Payout Perspective:
ProElite held it’s first event last month (8/27) in Hawaii under new Stratus Media ownership. The event took place at the Blaisdell Arena, which interestingly enough is the same location where the Hawaii Five-0 MMA episode is filming. The episode is set to air this fall on CBS, which is around the same time ProElite is rumored to host it’s second event from New Jersey.
Thompson informed MMAPayout back in July that the goal was to have a TV deal in place by the second event targeted for early November. The exposure that ProElite will gain from being featured on a top rated CBS show is another step in the right direction for the promotion in achieving that goal. For it’s first event, ProElite was able to sign-on high profile sponsors such as Monster Energy Drink and PayPal without a TV deal and only a stream on Sherdog.com in place. For the second event, the goal will be to land a TV deal that is suitable for a company who is scheduling only their second event under new management and personnel.
Chuck Liddell retired from MMA in late 2010 and was appointed as Executive Vice President of Business Development for the UFC shortly after. At the time, he still wanted to fight but agreed to retire from MMA to take a job with the UFC. At press time, it is not known whether this project is part of his job with the UFC or independent work, and if so, if he had UFC’s blessing to jump inside the cage promoting a non-Zuffa owned MMA brand.
Monster and Coors Light to Sponsor ProElite August 27 Hawaii Event
August 26, 2011
Just a couple of days before hosting their first MMA event since 2008, ProElite announced they have added Monster Energy and Coors Light as sponsors for Saturday’s event taking place in the Blaisdell Arena in Hawaii.
ProElite, Inc. (PELE.PK) today announces that Monster, Inc. and Coors Light have signed on as presenting sponsors for the Hawaii fight.
“Having two major companies as presenting sponsors of our first fight is a significant step forward with the newly rebranded ProElite,” commented Billy Kelly, President and COO of ProElite. “I’m excited at the prospect of future sponsor support for all our fights going forward.”
ProElite will host its pre-fight open press conference today at 2pm HST in the Kahili Room at the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani Hotel. The weigh-in, which is open to the public, will be held tomorrow at 2pm HST also in the Kahili Room.
Saturday’s fight will stream live on Sherdog.com from Neal S. Blaisdell Arena. Tickets are on sale at ticketmaster.com and at the arena box office.
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NOTE: During the press conference, Stratus Media CEO Paul Feller stated in an interview with BJPenn.com that ProElite has been a wonderful acquisition. We have turned ProElite from being a “We have taken stock from $0.02 cent to $0.60 cents and still growing.” Link: PELE
Payout Perspective:
Back in July when MMAPayout interviewed ProElite’s VP of Fight Operations T. Jay Thompson, he mentioned that they weren’t expecting any major sponsors for the August 27 event in Hawaii. One month later, Stratus Media and ProElite announce that Monster Energy Drink and Coors Light will be sponsoring the event. Needless to say that getting these type of sponsors for a show that won’t even be televised and is scheduled to stream on Sherdog.com after UFC 134 is over is pretty remarkable. It’s also a very good sign for the company.
Since Stratus Media officially took over the majority stake in ProElite earlier this year, it has always made it a point to state that they will be using their partnerships and connections within the entertainment and events industry to cross-promote and assist ProElite. Assisting ProElite in getting “big name” sponsors will put them in a position where they are one step closer to being TV ready, which they hope to accomplish by the second show. Regardless, building up their roster to accommodate the amount of shows targeted for 2012 will be an ongoing process and an uphill battle the group will face, but if this Saturday’s card is any indication, the great mix of known veterans, prospects, and regional draws is a proven formula to steer them on the right course.
Bellator remains committed to MTV2
August 18, 2011
Despite Thursday’s news of the UFC-Fox deal and its departure from Spike TV, Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney indicated that he remains committed to MTV2. MMA Junkie reports that while Rebney admits the UFC deal has “shifted the landscape,” he is not clear if it has a direct impact on Bellator’s business.
Viacom owns Spike TV and MTV2 and while an interchannel move could occur, Bellator has not indicated a desire to do so. Yet, moving to Spike TV could benefit the company.
Via MMA Junkie:
It’s without question, though, that the promotion could get help from Spike TV, and vice versa. Spike TV is available in 96 million homes while MTV2 is available in 80 million homes. The success of the UFC has raised the cable channel’s profile, which has paved the way for greater advertising dollars. That’s not lost on parent companies such as the one that owns both channels.
Payout Perspective:
Moving to a bigger network, reaching more homes and going to a place with a history of showing MMA seems like an easy move to make for Bellator. It has made strides with tv ratings on MTV2 and while there could be an argument that it does not want to upset its momentum on MTV2 and does not want to be confused with the UFC, Bellator moving to Spike TV makes sense. A bigger audience with the targeted demo (Males 18-34) on Spike TV. Granted, Bellator would want to make sure it lands in a good time slot on Spike TV, but the move would be the best thing for the company.
If Bellator remains with MTV2, there are other options for Spike TV. There is ProElite which is streaming its first PPV online immediately after UFC 134. Also, there is Shark Fights, a Texas-based organization that has a tv deal with FUEL TV until the end of the year.
ProElite Relaunches Website, Releases 8/27 Event Promo
August 10, 2011
Stratus Media and ProElite officially announced today the re-launch of their website via press release. Along with the site, the promotion also released a promo for their upcoming 8/27 card in Hawaii.
ProElite, Inc. (PELE.PK), today announces its newly redesigned and rebranded website with highly improved look and feel is now live.
“It is an exciting time for ProElite and we are thrilled that the company’s striking and revamped site is successfully up and running,” said Paul Feller, CEO, Stratus Media Group and Chairman, ProElite.
Proelite.com has gone under structural and facial reconstruction and now showcases upcoming fights, fighter bios, stats, links to Facebook and Twitter pages, and more.
“The relaunch of the website is one of many steps ProElite is taking as it rolls out its new identity under Stratus,” said William Kelly COO of Stratus and ProElite. Functionality and value for our site visitors and fans will continue to improve over the coming weeks. Fans will also soon be able to purchase a redesigned line of ProElite MMA merchandise.”
ProElite, Inc., newly acquired by Stratus Media Group, returns to the Neal S. Blaisdell Arena August 27. Tickets are on sale at ticketmaster.com.
ProElite Hawaii 8/27 Event Promo:
Payout Perspective:
ProElite has been taking good solid strides in re-launching their MMA brand. The re-launch of their website and the release of the slick promotional video for the upcoming card in Hawaii are of very good quality. They are also heavily focusing on Social Media to promote their brand and event, already establishing accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.
There were recent rumor’s about ProElite possibly signing a TV deal with Showtime/CBS, but those rumors were recently put to rest by Vice President of Fight Operations T. Jay Thompson. Thompson states that they want to grow at the right pace, and that they are looking for an entry-level TV deal first that fits as to where they are as an MMA promotion currently, which is refreshing to hear.
Their second event is scheduled for November and will most likely take place in New Jersey, where they expect to already have a TV deal and host the first round of their own Heavyweight Grand Prix.
ProElite Announces Arlovski vs Lopez On August 27
July 28, 2011
ProElite announced today that they would be revealing more details on their “ProElite 2.0″ 8/27 event during a conference call this Friday morning.
WHAT: PRO ELITE MMA – PRESS CONFERENCE
WHEN: FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2011 – 10:00AM
WHERE: RUM FIRE, SHERATON WAIKIKI BEACH, HAWAII
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LOS ANGELES, CA–Jul. 26, 2011— ProElite, Inc. (PELE:PK), today announces a press conference scheduled for Friday, July 29th in Honolulu to reveal the matchups on the upcoming August fight card.
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“It’s exciting to have the MMA community on the edge of their seats awaiting the next ProElite news,” stated Paul Feller, President and CEO of Stratus. “I am confident that MMA fans will not be disappointed with the matchups, which will be announced later this week.”
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The August 27th fight marks the third time ProElite has staged an MMA event in Hawaii.
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T.Jay Thompson, head of Fight Operations said, “This is just the start of ProElite’s return to a dominant player in the industry.” “We look forward to regaining the support of the MMA global audience.”
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Tickets can now be purchased at the Blaisdell Arena box office, or online at ticketmaster.com. Reserved seats are $28, $40, $65, and $90; Cage side seats are priced at $150 and $200.
Rumored ProElite 8/27 Card:
Andrei Arlovski (15-9) vs Ray Lopez (5-2)
Kendall Grove (12-9) vs Joe Riggs (34-13)
Kala Hose (7-5) v Drew McFedries (9-6),
Raquel Pa’aluhi (3-1) v Sara McMann (2-0),
Mark Ellis (Debut) v Jake Huen (1-0)
Reagan Penn (Debut) vs TBA
Payout Perspective:
ProElite’s August 27 event from Hawaii has been building up nicely in the past couple of weeks. T.Jay Thompson and Rich Chou have done a great job of piecing the card together with a good mix of recognizable veteran names along with young prospects. The additions of Kendall Grove, Reagan Penn, and Kala Hose to the card should translate into good attendance numbers for the promotion. Young prospects such as Mark Ellis and Sara McMann will bring credibility to the promotion and should begin the process of creating their own stars.
Sources have informed MMAPayout that the event will most likely be streamed from Sherdog.com as the UFC Rio event concludes. Another interesting piece of news is that Jens Pulver is in talks to become ProElite’s color commentator for the event.
Legendary PRIDE referee Yuji Shimada will also be working the August ProElite event in Hawaii.
In terms of sponsors, ProElite’s T.Jay Thompson informed us that he didn’t expect any major sponsors for this event. If we look at the event poster, it only shows radio stations such as 101.9, 98.5, and 93.9.
MMAHAWAII.com will be streaming the press conference live.
Payout Spotlight: ProElite VP of Fight Operations T. Jay Thompson – Part 2
July 14, 2011
In part two of MMAPayout’s interview with ProElite’s Vice President of Fight Operations T. Jay Thompson, he spoke to us about some of the smaller details regarding the August 27 event, the differences between the old ProElite and the new, plus his thoughts on Rich Chou, Kimbo Slice, Dana White, Women’s MMA, promoting MMA for the past 15 years, and being a huge MMA fan.
MP: What type of cage/ring will ProElite use on August 27? Are you a fan of the ring or the cage?
Thompson: We will be using a standard circular cage, similar to what was used in EliteXC. I am a big fan of the ring but I believe that era of MMA has passed. The ring was great back in PRIDE and in Japan, but those times have passed. As for the cage, I’m a big fan of the smaller cages, so I’m hoping that we can make it a bit smaller in the future because they create exciting fights.
MP: How do you feel about co-promotion?
Thompson: I am all for co-promotion. Not only did I host the first co-promotional sanctioned event for Shooto in the U.S., but I was fortunate enough to work with several Japanese promotions and I was able to bring fighters like Rumina Sato stateside, which was a proud moment for me.
MP: How do you feel about working with ProElite again after your first stint. It appeared that MMA fans were waiting for the more experienced MMA promoters under the banner to take over the direction of ProElite last time around, but it never happened. How does your position in ProElite differ this time around?
Thompson: I had nothing to do with decision making the first time around. It’s no secret that Gary Shaw and I didn’t see eye to eye. It was an extremely frustrating situation. Like I said before, this time around I will be working with Rich Chou, and as a team, our goal is to place ProElite in a position to capitalize.
MP: Speaking of Rich Chou, were you surprised that he was let go after Zuffa purchased Strikeforce and can you talk about what his acquisition means for ProElite?
Thompson: I’m excited to work with Rich again. I’ve worked with Rich for a long time now and he is a hard worker and not many people realize this, but he does a lot more than just the matchmaking. He will be a valuable asset for us… but am I surprised that Zuffa let him go? No. Zuffa’s entire company is filled with excellent employees and he was just another for them. So no, I am not surprised at all.
MP: If Strikeforce ends up being absorbed by the UFC and Women’s MMA needs a new home, do you see ProElite becoming a home to them the same way that Strikeforce was able to capitalize on the female fighters they acquired from EliteXC?
Thompson: First of all, I am a big fan of Women’s MMA. Like I said before, we are talking to anyone that’s available. We’ve already scheduled Sara McMann, a U.S. Olympic medalist, to our first event, so they will have a place in the promotion.
MP: Did you watch the recent fight between Sheila Bird and Kim Couture. What did you think of that fight? Is Bird the type of fighter that you would be interested in signing?
Thompson: The officiating was terrible, but I was thrilled to see a win via leg-scissor choke. You can ask anyone that trains out of my garage, that is my favorite choke and I’ve been practicing it for years. As for Sheila, of course we would be interested in signing any top prospect. You have to realize that I am a huge MMA fan, just like you guys. I go to the UG, read the websites, and watch the fights on Youtube just like everyone else. I try to catch as many fights as I can and keep an eye on up-and-coming talent.
MP: Kimbo Slice was heavily featured in EliteXC during the initial run. Would ProElite be opposed to signing someone like a Kimbo Slice, Dave Bautista, or Bobby Lashley?
Thompson: There were many decisions I did not agree with that ProElite made, but signing Kimbo Slice was not one of them. I am a big Kimbo Slice fan and I don’t have a problem with fighters who bring new eyeballs to the sport. Kimbo Slice was a big part of why ProElite and CBS still hold the record for highest rating on a major network for MMA. As for Bobby Lashley, I am a bit disappointed in his progression in MMA. I was rooting for him and hoping he would have had more of an impact on the sport by now. In terms of signing any of them, I would not rule anything out.
MP: Now that you are the VP of Fight Operations for ProElite, what do you think you can bring to the table this time around that you weren’t able to last time?
Thompson: My strong-point is not only discovering and developing new talent, but reviving already established talent. I was able to do it for Robbie Lawler, Frank Trigg, and Jason Miller, and it’s something that I look forward to doing again in ProElite.
MP: What is your vision of ProElite in the near future and where would you like them to be in 5 years?
Thompson: Our goal is to become the number two promotion in MMA in five years and be profitable. If we could do that, we would be in a great position to capitalize on opportunities. As for ProElite, I hope it becomes a mixture of all my previous promotions (ICON Sports, SuperBrawl, etc). We want to put on exciting and entertaining fights for our fans.
MP: What type of reaction has ProElite received from the fans and MMA sponsors since announcing the company’s return?
Thompson: We are getting a great deal of support from MMA fans and those involved on the business side of the sport, so that’s great to see. I was and still root for Strikeforce, so it’s good to see others do the same for us.
MP: In a recent interview, Dana White said “T. Jay [Thompson] has been involved in some great fights — SuperBrawl — I would call him an early pioneer of the sport. Good for him” regarding ProElite being resurrected. What is your reaction to that comment?
Thompson: Actually, it makes me think that I’m doing something wrong. Joking aside, I am a huge Dana White fan, and we are just a small blip on the radar, so it could all change in the future.
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MMAPayout was also able to briefly catch-up with ProElite new hire Rich Chou. Chou insisted that he was “very blessed” to have many opportunities presented to him after he was let go by Zuffa, and is now just trying to find a way to transition his life into working for ProElite. Chou now finds himself frequently flying between San Jose, Los Angeles, and Hawaii. He also points out that he has been extremely busy preparing for the August 27 show in Hawaii, and hasn’t had much of a chance to settle down.
Chou along with T. Jay Thompson and a couple of Stratus Media Group executives currently make up the team for ProElite, a vast contrast of how the original company was managed. “I am very blessed with the opportunities that were available to me after Strikeforce” said Chou. “I think MMA promotions realized what type of work I can put in and the success the companies I’ve worked with have had in the past. I’m looking forward to working with T.Jay and putting on great fights for the fans.”
Payout Spotlight: ProElite VP of Fight Operations T. Jay Thompson – Part 1
July 11, 2011
MMAPayout had the opportunity to interview Vice President of Fight Operations for ProElite T. Jay Thompson. He spoke to us about the August 27 event, his goals for the promotion, and what we can expect from ProElite going forward.
ProElite hosted it’s first MMA event, which was televised on Showtime, back in February of 2007. In total, ProElite was able to produce 21 MMA events before it closed it’s doors in October of 2008, as it accumulated a debt of $55 million in the span of less than 24 months of operations.
With EliteXC’s previous failure and Strikeforce’s purchase by Zuffa earlier this year, despite both having historic network television deals and a number of MMA stars on it’s roster, begs the question: Can a viable competitor emerge? Can the market sustain another national promotion over the long-term? T. Jay Thompson believes becoming a profitable number two promotion is the initial goal this time around for ProElite.
MP: What will the name of the MMA promotion be under ProElite and does ProElite still have rights to EliteXC, Cage Rage, etc?
Thompson: We will be using ProElite as the name of the promotion, as the ProElite name still has value and brand equity. We still own part of the rights and library to EliteXC and Strikeforce owns others after the asset purchase, but we still have the rights to other promotions such as Cage Rage and ICON for example.
MP: So far, the rumors are Kala Hose vs Drew McFedries, Raquel Pa’aluhi vs Sara McMann, Jake Huen vs Mark Ellis, Andrei Arlovski, and Kendall Grove all possibly participating in the upcoming August 27 event taking place at the Blaisdell Arena in Hawaii. Can you confirm any of these fights? Will there be an emphasis in Women’s MMA?
Thompson: There will be an announcement this week but all I can say is that you guys have done a very good job. Those fights sound very plausible. I can tell you that we signed the first American woman in history to receive a silver medal in women’s wrestling at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Sara McMann and she will be taking on Raquel Pa’aluhi, who comes from a great Hawaiian MMA background. Whether male or female fighters, we are talking to anyone that’s available and that make sense for us and what markets we go into.
MP: How will MMA fans be able to watch the August 27 event? Are there any concerns about running the show on the same day as the monumental UFC 134: Silva vs Okami taking place in Brazil?
Thompson: The event will be available for fans most likely by streaming from a major MMA website. We are hoping for a TV deal to be in place, but realistically, it will most likely be streamed from Hawaii at 7PM local, which means it will air just after UFC 134 at 10PM on the west coast. We are not trying to compete with the UFC, and just like a fighter coming back from a long layoff, we have to work out the kinks and ring rust. We hope to do that in the first couple of shows.
MP: Does ProElite have any major sponsors lined up for the August 27 event?
Thompson: We are currently not aligned with any major sponsors. As for the event, nothing is official just yet, but we aren’t expecting many major sponsors for the first event.
MP: ProElite CEO Paul Feller has mentioned before that a lot of what PE will do in the future depends on what happens with Strikeforce on Showtime and UFC/Bellator on Spike TV. Is the goal to eventually land a TV deal with one of those big outlets?
Thompson: My job is to put ProElite in a position to capitalize on any opportunities that present themselves in the future. So we won’t rule anything out at this point. Stratus Media has talented people and many have worked in/with the TV industry, so we feel pretty confident we will be on a TV outlet by our second event.
MP: When will the second event take place and how many events are you planning for 2011?
Thompson: The second event will take place in November, which is when we believe we will have a TV deal in place. That means we will have 2 shows in 2011, then ramp up for 2012.
MP: How will ProElite be funded and operated this time around? It was well documented that the website, offices, employee salaries, etc were above and beyond what they should have been in terms of spending.
Thompson: ProElite will be ran lean and mean this time around. It was frustrating watching PE burn through money and there was nothing I could do. It’s a reason why we are only holding two events this year. We want to analyze and make decisions that make sense for the company and our shareholders.
MP: Will Hawaii be the home-base of ProElite, similar to what San Jose was for Strikeforce?
Thompson: We want to host about 2-3 shows in Hawaii every year but I wouldn’t say we have a home-base. Remember that our offices are located in California, so we will see. Our goal is to go into markets that make the most sense.
MP: Is running MMA events out of Hawaii a concern, considering the MMA tax after the sport was regulated there a few years ago?
Thompson: Hawaii gets 4% on the gate, 4% on PPV revenue, but it is capped at $50K, so it’s no different if we hosted the event in California or New Jersey. Dana White made those comments back when the UFC was looking into putting on an event in Hawaii, but those regulations have been modified since. I wouldn’t be surprised if the UFC came to Hawaii soon and ran a show from Aloha Stadium.
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Part 2 of the interview will discuss the differences between the old ProElite and what Thompson envisions this time around. Also, his thoughts on Rich Chou, Dana White, Women’s MMA, being a promoter in MMA for the past 15 years, and being a huge MMA fan.
