Liddell on Cover of UFC Magazine (April-May)
March 19, 2010
Chuck Liddell will grace the cover of the 4th edition of UFC Magazine with a cheeky picture that is sure to put a smile on the face of even Tito Ortiz. The new edition hits news stands in April.
Payout Perspective:
Liddell joins Anderson Silva, Brock Lesnar, and Dana White as cover men for the 9 month-old magazine.
The news on the UFC’s magazine front has been quiet since August, when MMAPayout.com learned the UFC planned to increase distribution of the magazine from 300,000 to 325,000 to meet anticipated demand growth. We should get an update pretty soon as to how it’s faring.
MMA Unltd. Ceases Operations
February 4, 2010
In a surprising bit of news, British fight magazine MMA Unlimited has announced it will be shutting its doors despite having published eighteen issues and launching a brand new website not too long ago.
Since launching in April 2008, MMA Unltd magazine published eighteen issues and received great support from the UK MMA scene.
Unfortunately, the team has received some bad news. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the financial backer for MMA Unltd is no longer able to fund the publication. This meant that we can no longer operate and that MMA Unltd magazine has ceased to trade.
The news came as a complete shock to everyone at the team. We were ready with another great issue but were told at the last minute by our investor that we could not go to print.
To all our readers and subscribers we can only thank you for your patronage during our time in print. This news has hit the team hard but due to the economic climate and our investors financial problems the magazine has had to succumb to circumstance.
All subscribers will be contacted over the next week and reimbursed where necessary.
Payout Perspective:
Fightsport UK also shut its doors just a few short months ago, which might lead some to question the future of the fight magazine business in the UK. However, this could also be seen as simply a symptom of the larger shift from print to digital media in today’s society technologically dependent society.
Nonetheless, Fighters Only UK is still going strong, and the company is currently looking to build on the well-publicized 2009 MMA Awards held recently in Las Vegas.
Fighters Only World MMA Awards 2009 Results
December 31, 2009
The Fighters Only 2009 MMA Awards were held last night in Las Vegas, Nevada, and not surprisingly Georges St-Pierre, the UFC, and Tapout came away as the big winners.
Here’s the entire list of winners on the evening:
- Fighter of the Year: Georges St-Pierre
- Fight of the Year: Diego Sanchez vs. Clay Guida (TUF 9 Finale)
- KO of the Year: Dan Henderson over Michael Bisping (UFC 100)
- Submission of the Year: Toby Imada’s inverted triangle over Jorge Masvidal (Bellator 4)
- Special Achievement Award: Charles “Mask” Lewis
- Best Promotion: UFC
- European Fighter of the Year: Gegard Mousasi
- Breakthrough Fighter of the Year: Brock Lesnar
- Female Fighter of the Year: Cristine “Cyborg” Santos
- Leading Man of the Year: Dana White
- Coach of the Year: Greg Jackson
- Ring Girl of the Year: Arianny Celeste
- Best MMA Media Coverage: MMAJunkie.com
- Best MMA Gym: Jackson Submission Fighting
- Best MMA brand: TapouT
- Best MMA Clothing: TapouT
- Best MMA Shorts: TapouT
- Best Gloves: UFC
- Best Journalist: John Morgan (MMAJunkie)
Fighters Only Going Global in 2010
December 27, 2009
Chris Knox of NeBusiness.co.uk writes of the Fighters Only success story and what looks to be a very promising 2010 for the MMA magazine founded in the UK.
Rob Hewitt turned his love of competitive fighting into a fully-fledged business in 2005, when he launched Fighters Only magazine in Newcastle with the aim of providing mixed martial arts fans in the UK with a dedicated resource.
He is now looking extend its readership to Australia and France next year after establishing the title in 13 different countries and is also hoping to set up an online TV channel to help the company increase its £1.5m turnover.
Over the years, the magazine has progressed from focusing mainly on the UK mixed martial arts scene to worldwide coverage of the sport, with contributors in the US, Canada, Europe, Brazil and Japan.
It has just established licence deals for the production of German and South African editions of the magazine. It was advised by Newcastle law firm Mincoffs.
The publication, which has 12 staff, is also about to host its first televised awards ceremony in Las Vegas, and recently signed an agreement with sportswear firm TapouT to produce a range of Fighters Only-branded clothing.
Mr Hewitt said: “Having been involved in MMA from its earliest days I knew that it had the potential to grow from being an underground sport to one of the biggest in the world and that there was a place in the global market for a brand like Fighters Only.
“With the guidance of my board of directors and the legal expertise of Mincoffs solicitors I have been able to implement plans and strategies to dominate the world of combat sports media and gain further business success from the growth in popularity of our brand.”
Payout Perspective:
The growth of Fighters Only is great not only for the company itself, but MMA as a whole because it’s another medium to spread the word about the sport. The fact that magazine covers every promotion also means that fans begin to realize that MMA is not exactly synonymous with the UFC.
Also, just a reminder that Fighters Only is hosting the first ever World Mixed Martial Arts Awards later this week in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Craig Named President of FIGHT! Media
November 17, 2009
Atlanta, GA — Donovan Craig, who has served as editor-in-chief of FIGHT! Magazine since the publication¹s debut in 2007, has been promoted to President of FIGHT! Media. Along with continuing his responsibilities at the magazine, Craig will now oversee FIGHT!¹s overall strategy in all of its various new ventures, which include a number of film, television, and Internet projects currently in development.
“Under Donovan¹s leadership as editor-in-chief, FIGHT! Magazine has redefined mixed martial arts publishing,” says Eddy Kleid, Co-President of Bluff Media, FIGHT!¹s parent company. “We are confident that he will have a similar impact as the President of FIGHT! Media.”
In less than three years, Craig, a former boxer and stockbroker, has guided FIGHT! Magazine to become the most popular and influential mixed martial arts monthly in the world. Along with extensive coverage of the UFC and other top promotions (Strikeforce, Dream, WEC), FIGHT! also has received accolades for discovering new talent, spotlighting trends, and offering both amateur and professional fighters training and nutritional advice. “Besides a top coach or a fighter, I have never met anybody who has such a handle on the art and science of mixed martial arts as Donovan Craig,” says legendary MMA trainer Greg Jackson (who trains Georges St. Pierre, Rashad Evans, and Nate Marquardt, among many others).
Craig also has written extensively for the magazine and has traveled all over the world to chronicle the history and remarkable expansion of MMA.
Along with a widely-praised three-part series on the origins of mixed martial arts in Brazil, he has written a first-person account of his own career as an amateur fighter (culminating in his first fight in Las Vegas) and traveled to a U.S. Army base in Iraq for a groundbreaking MMA event. He will continue to write regularly for FIGHT! “Donovan is a world-class journalist and the man responsible for turning FIGHT! into the best MMA magazine in the world,” says Jorge Guimaraes, Brazilian television host, Black House gym owner, and manager of UFC champions Anderson Silva, Lyoto Machida, and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.
New UFC Magazine Hits Shelves
November 10, 2009
The new UFC magazine is set to hit store shelves with Brock Lesnar on the cover:
MMAPayout.com is reminded about the recent discussions we’ve had regarding the magazine, it’s distribution, and the advertising clientele it’s looking to draw. Here’s a summary:
UFC magazine distribution numbers
MMAPayout has learned that the UFC Magazine will increase its distribution from 300,000 units to 325,000 due to the overwhelming success of its premier issue in July and the resulting retailer demand. The figure doesn’t include additional distribution at UFC events.
The following represent up-to-date statistics for magazines of a comparable demographic:
Sports Illustrated: 3,150,000 (weekly)
Maxim: 2,500,000 (monthly)
ESPN Magazine: 2,000,000 (bi-weekly)
Men’s Health: 1,800,000 (monthly)
Men’s Fitness: 725,000 (monthly)
WWE: 300,000 (monthly)
UFC: 325,000 (bi-monthly)
The UFC magazine is yet another example of the UFC’s initiative to diversify its revenue streams and become less reliant upon event-related revenues (which in the past have accounted for nearly 75% of all Zuffa revenues). However, the magazine is also important because of its corollary effect and its advertising ability.
The magazine is another tool with which the UFC can push its target audience to PPV and TV offerings through reminders, human interest pieces, and building storylines. We’re not talking phony WWE storylines, but legitimate behind-the-scenes offerings that should help draw interest and viewership. Furthermore, the UFC magazine gives sponsors yet another avenue to advertise to the MMA demographic and hit them with a more traditional message.
UFC magazine demographic information
75% of the readership falls between the ages of 18-34, but 96% of those surveyed were of legal drinking age (21). 16% fans who bought the magazine have been to a live event, but 55% plan to see live event in next year. 33% of fans who bought the magazine train MMA. Nearly 50% those polled view UFC with 5+ ppl 84% those polled play video gamesPayout Perspective:Detailed analysis, here.
We’ll pick up a copy to further analyze the progression the company has made, and maybe glean some trends as to where the promotion is taking the magazine in the future.
Debut Success, Future Demand Increase UFC Magazine Distribution
August 14, 2009
MMAPayout has learned that the UFC Magazine will increase its distribution from 300,000 units to 325,000 due to the overwhelming success of its premier issue in July and the resulting retailer demand. The figure doesn’t include additional distribution at UFC events.
The UFC Magazine has just finalized its next six issues and will follow a bi-monthly release schedule starting in mid-November with issue #2 and then mid-January with issue #3.
Payout Perspective:
The following represent up-to-date statistics for magazines of a comparable demographic:
Sports Illustrated: 3,150,000 (weekly)
Maxim: 2,500,000 (monthly)
ESPN Magazine: 2,000,000 (bi-weekly)
Men’s Health: 1,800,000 (monthly)
Men’s Fitness: 725,000 (monthly)
WWE: 300,000 (monthly)
UFC: 325,000 (bi-monthly)
Additionally, I’ve been pointed to the Echo Media Services website which features a comprehensive list of circulation figures established all within the last couple years.
The UFC magazine is yet another example of the UFC’s initiative to diversify its revenue streams and become less reliant upon event-related revenues (which in the past have accounted for nearly 75% of all Zuffa revenues). However, the magazine is also important because of its corollary effect and its advertising ability.
The UFC magazine is another tool with which the UFC can push its target audience to PPV and TV offerings through reminders, human interest pieces, and building storylines. We’re not talking phony WWE storylines, but legitimate behind-the-scenes offerings that should help draw interest and viewership. Furthermore, the UFC magazine gives sponsors yet another avenue to advertise to the MMA demographic and hit them with a more traditional message.
Look for the UFC’s current momentum to help carry the magazine to even higher distribution levels over the next few years. It’s quite likely that following the next six issues, the UFC magazine will have enough of a following to drop once a month.
MMA IQ: The Ultimate Test of True Fandom now Available!
August 5, 2009
For those looking to add a volume to their library of MMA-related books, Mixed Martial Arts IQ: The Ultimate Test of True Fandom is now available on Amazon. The product description gives a good look at the contents:
Mixed Martial Arts IQ is the Ultimate Trivia book for every MMA fan, from the casual to the hardcore. In it you’ll find 250 trivia questions broken down into ten categories and five rounds. The questions are filled with great facts, so even if you don’t know the answers, MMA IQ is a fun read. Do you have what it takes to become the greatest of all time? Are you worthy of a championship belt? Have you trained hard? Have you perused the MMA Internet forums? Do you know facts about MMA that would make Jason “Mayhem” Miller blush or knock Chris Lytle out cold? If so, you may be on your way to becoming Mixed Martial Arts IQ’s greatest of all time, or at least pound for pound champ! If not, you’ll be relegated to fighting cans or stuck in the gym never seeing any action. But that’s okay, because even if MMA IQ gives you a healthy dose of ground and pound like Brock Lesnar with his oversized fists, you’ll love every minute of it!
The ten categories include:
The Numbers game
The Champs
The Cities, Events, and Venues
The Injuries
The Knockouts and Submissions
The Great Fights
The Streaks
Movies/TV
Who said it/nicknames
The Crazy feats and Facts
MMA IQ is funny, challenging, and an easy-to-read book that covers promotions from Strikeforce, to the UFC, to PRIDE, to Elite XC, and all your favorite fighters.
Testamonials:
World famous cutman Jacob Stitch Duran said of MMA IQ, “Every time I work on a cut I am being tested and I feel confident I can pass the test. After reading MMA IQ I’m not so sure I can do the same with this book!”
Robert Joyner at MMA Payout said, “From the rookie fan to the pound for pound trivia champs, MMA IQ has something that will challenge the wide spectrum of fans that follow the sport. I’ve been a fan since the Royce Gracie days, but even I learned a few things from MMA IQ.”
William Li, founder of Findmmagym.com said, “I thought I knew MMA, but this book took my MMA IQ to whole new level… fun read, highly recommended.”
BJ Penn Reveals Legacy Hopes Going Into Florian Bout
July 23, 2009
UFC lightweight Champion BJ Penn exclusively reveals how he wants people to remember him in his interview in the new issue of Fighters Only magazine on newsstands this week. Penn is one of only two fighters to have held UFC titles in two weight categories.
“I want to be remembered as the guy who came out and tried to do his best, excel in the sport, who didn’t listen to or gave a shit what anybody else thought, who always did it my way” reveals BJ, who defends his title against Kenny Florian at UFC 101 in August.
Penn, who is known to speak his mind in interviews, continues:
“(I want to be known as) a guy who never thought twice about doing steroids, who never thought about doing any cheap shit. People can look back and they can ask, ‘Okay, but did he become a champion?’ and they can see my two titles. If you do it straight and do it right, you can become a champion.”
In the 6-page exclusive interview he also talks about future opponent Kenny Florian, his loss to welterweight champion Georges Saint Pierre and why he considers himself a fan of light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida.
Fighters Only was the world’s first monthly MMA and Lifestyle magazine launching in the UK in 2005. The launch of the US edition in February was accompanied by the simultaneous launch of a Canadian edition with a German edition available from April 2009. For more information on subscriptions and where to purchase Fighters Only from visit: www.fightersonlymag.com .
FIGHT! Magazine Offers Trio of Parties UFC 100 Weekend
July 3, 2009
Atlanta, GA (USA) – FIGHT! Magazine cordially invites all fans and friends to party with the crew July 10-12 in Las Vegas to celebrate UFC 100 weekend.
The weekend begins at TRYST Nightclub located inside the Wynn for a pre-fight party on Friday. In conjunction with Six Star Muscle, CagePotato and Denaro Sports, FIGHT! opens the doors at 10:00p.m. for a night of pre-fight action. Several fighters and celebrities are already confirmed. Reservations are available by calling 702-770-3352.
Didn’t get tickets? Watch the weekend’s main event, UFC 100, with FIGHT! at the Hawaiian Tropic Zone on Saturday night at 7p.m. FIGHT! personalities such as Ryan Loco and FIGHT! Mag Johnny will be on hand to give out MMA collectibles and magazine subscriptions. Reservations are strongly suggested and can be made by calling 702-731-4858.
If that wasn’t enough, FIGHT! keeps the party going on Sunday with a post-fight party at the Green Valley Ranch pool. Fun in the Las Vegas sun starts up again on at 11a.m.
Mixed with all the mingling, FIGHT! Magazine will exhibit at the UFC Fan Expo, booth 513, July 10-11 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. UFC middleweight contender Nate Marquardt will be signing autographs along with several other MMA stars. FIGHT! subscriptions will be available at a special reduced rate and all subscribers will receive a free t-shirt (while supplies last). Finally, all visitors to the FIGHT! booth can enter to win one of the dozens of prizes that will be given away over the course of the weekend, no purchase necessary.
